Jim Mora's coaching staff had a significant, and bizarre, mid-game change

Two-time former NFL head coach Jim Mora had an interesting experience on Saturday.

Mora, in his first year as the head coach at Colorado State, took play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Tyson Summers during a game against Oregon State. Summers responded by leaving.

For good.

“Tyson was relieved of his play-calling duties, he left the field, and he is no longer with this football program,” Mora said after the game, via Zac Al-Khateeb of USA Today. “That is permanent.”

Mora made it clear that he didn’t fire Summers.

“That wasn’t anything that I would ever consider,” Mora said. “I just relieved him of his duties as a play-caller. He made the decision to leave the field on his own. He’s no longer with the program.”

The change happened after Oregon State scored on each of its first two drives. Associate head coach and defensive line coach Kenny McClendon took over Summers’s duties.

On the first play called by McClendon, Colorado State forced a turnover that led to a touchdown that tied the game at 14. After that, however, the wheels came off; Oregon State won, 56-26.

Summers, who became the defensive coordinator in 2025 and served as interim head coach after Jay Norvell was fired during the season, was one of the staff members Mora retained.

Mora coached the Falcons from 2004 through 2006 and the Seahawks in 2009. At the college level, he coached UCLA from 2012 through 2017 and Connecticut from 2022 through 2025.