Colorado State fired football coach Jay Norvell on Sunday, a day after the Rams dropped to 2-5 with a loss to Hawaii and a season removed from a bowl game.
Norvell was in his fourth season at Colorado State. He is owed a $1.5 million buyout, according to reports. He finished 18-26 with the Rams, including an appearance in the Arizona Bowl last season.
The Rams appointed defensive coordinator Tyson Summers as their interim head coach as they search for a replacement. He takes over as the Rams get set to play at Wyoming next weekend in the annual Border War.
“My admiration for Jay and appreciation for his integrity make this decision that much more difficult,” Colorado State athletic director John Weber said in a statement. “Jay has made this program better during his tenure at CSU.”
Norvell became the first Black head football coach in program history when he signed a five-year deal on Dec. 6, 2021, after making Nevada a contender in the Mountain West Conference. His teams showed improvement in each of his first three seasons in Fort Collins. The Rams were 3-9 in 2022, 5-7 in ’23 and 8-5 last season.
But this season has been a step back. They barely held off FCS-level Northern Colorado in early September.
To try to ignite a stagnant offense, Norvell made a quarterback change late last month, benching Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and going with Jackson Brousseau. It didn’t pay off immediately, as the Rams lost 20-3 to Washington State. Colorado State followed that up with a loss at San Diego State before beating Fresno State at home. The final game for Norvell was a 31-19 loss to Hawaii on Saturday night.
Known for his innovative offenses, the 62-year-old Norvell was brought in after going 33-26 at Nevada.
Colorado State elected to make the coaching change as the program prepares to leave the Mountain West next season for the Pac-12. The Rams are set to join Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Boise State in a rebuilt version of the storied conference, which already includes Oregon State and Washington State. The Pac-12 recently added Texas State in order to reach the eight-team minimum to be eligible for a bid for its conference champion in the College Football Playoff.
“We have all the ingredients for success here at CSU, and our aspiration is to be the most loved, most watched, and most innovative program in the West,” Weber said. “The next head coach of the Rams will be stepping into a program headed to the Pac-12 with the resources and leadership alignment necessary to win and compete at the highest level.”
Summers was brought on board in January. He joined the Rams as defensive coordinator when Mike Bobo was named the head coach in 2014.
“Tyson has a strong track record as a successful coach, and we’re fortunate to have him here in Fort Collins,” Weber said. “He has been integral to building a culture of accountability within the football locker room, and I am confident in his ability to lead the program for the remainder of the season.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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