Tyson Summers’ stay in Fort Collins didn’t last long.
The first-year defensive coordinator, who was hired by head coach Mike Bobo last winter, was named the head coach at Georgia Southern Sunday afternoon. Summers, a native of Tifton, Georgia, will be introduced as the school’s head coach next Saturday.
Ad
“Besides the day I married my wife and the days my children were born, this is right up there as one of the most exciting moments in my life,” Summers said in press release from Georgia Southern. “This is home for my wife, Beth, and I and we’re excited to be able to get to Statesboro and carry on the proud traditions of both Georgia Southern University and the Eagle football program. I’m looking forward to building off the offense that is in place and continuing to progress with the defense. I’m just exceptionally excited to be a Georgia Southern Eagle!”
FootballScoop, ESPN and Fox Sports were the first to report that Summers, who previously worked as the defensive coordinator at Central Florida, was returning to Georgia Southern, where he worked as the safeties coach in 2006. He then moved to Alabama-Birmingham, where he spent five seasons as the team’s linebackers coach while adding the role of safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator. Summer was then hired in 2012 by Central Florida as a defensive assistant, where he spent one month before being named linebackers coach. When then-defensive coordinator Jim Fleming left for Rhode Island before the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, Summers was named interim defensive coordinator before assuming the role full time for the 2014 season.
Under Summers’ direction, CSU’s defense ranked in the top-20 nationally in passing yards allowed and team tackles for loss, and improved 21 spots nationally in total defense. The Rams’ third-down defense also ranked in the top-30 nationally.
Colorado State has yet to name an interim defensive coordinator. The Rams practiced for the last time in Fort Collins Saturday, and will regroup in Tucson, Arizona, on Friday in preparation for the Dec. 29 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.
Collegian Senior Sports Reporter Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com and on Twitter @ByKeeganPope.
