Colorado State University Athletics
What We’ve Seen: Summers Sees Defense Ahead of Schedule
8/14/2025 12:40:00 PM | Football
Special teams getting reworked through camp
FORT COLLINS – The part of the team undergoing the most change is the defense. Start with a new scheme and defensive coordinator, Tyson Summers. Factor in there is just one returning starter on the unit, and working from scratch is accurate.
Gaining traction is also the case.
"I think this is practice 12. I think for 12 days they've come out and they've really tried to go execute the calls and play with good energy," Summers said after Wednesday's scrimmage. "And I think so far we're beyond what I ever thought we would be.
"I really commend Coach (Jay Norvell) and our assistant coaches for being able to bring culture and character people into the program and defense. You know, we're replacing 11 or 10 or 11 starters on defense. So, the continuity that comes with a lot of these younger guys who've been in the program or transfer portal guys and taking the right ones is important, and I think we've been able to do that."
End Mukendi Wa-Kalonji is the only returning starter, but there is some experience on the unit via the transfer portal, and a handful of key reserves from last year's unit is paying dividends. The coverage during camp has been tighter, and that was a major sticking point.
What they haven't done – with the exception of JaQues Evans – is play in Summers' system. It is designed to bring chaos and create turnovers. From what Summers is seeing, it is a group which can deliver.
"We start each day when we talk to them from a front perspective what runs are advantageous for us, what runs are not. And we do the same thing when it comes to pressure is to try to let them know what the challenges are going to be," Summers said. "That's what we try to work. I think they've done a great job with the understanding of it and being able to apply it."
Don't Beat Yourself
One of Norvell's main themes of camp is something he believes is starting to pay off. He gave every offensive player a ball at the beginning of camp, with the expectation they carry it high and tight no matter where they go on campus. If a defensive player can knock it out, fair game.
Jump offsides? The unit is doing up-downs. It all stems from the fact the Rams ranked 70th last year in penalties per game – not a good thing – but it was better than the 129th the squad sat the year prior. Norvell just wants his team to stay out of its own way.
"We didn't go live, but we got a lot of game situations. Really thought it was cleaner," Norvell said of Wednesday's workout. "Not as many penalties, not as many foolish penalties, pre-snap penalties, post-snap penalties. That was very good. We really emphasized a lot of end-of-game situations, so some usual situations like 4-minute, 2-minute. We did overtime today. So just exposing our players to all the things that are going to happen at the end of games that we need to be sharp on to win."
The Third Phase
Special teams was hit hard by graduation and the portal. The Rams need a new kicker, punter and holder, and they have to replace a lot of veterans who dominated the four units and how well they played.
Special teams coordinator Tommy Perry has had his work cut out for him, and still does with a few weeks before the opening game at Washington.
"That's probably been the biggest area that we've missed our experience is special teams. We've had so many guys -- Jack Howell, Henry Blackburn -- all those guys that were on teams. They're not there anymore," Norvell said. "So, we have a new group. I think we're more athletic. I think we've got a lot of guys that can run and hit. And now they have to understand Tommy's terminology and make sure we're all on the same page."
A positive has been the addition of kicker Isaiah Hankins, who has not only been accurate, but accurate with depth. Norvell called his left leg "live," adding he probably has the strongest leg of any kicker he has, a guy who has natural pop when connecting with the ball.
Gaining traction is also the case.
"I think this is practice 12. I think for 12 days they've come out and they've really tried to go execute the calls and play with good energy," Summers said after Wednesday's scrimmage. "And I think so far we're beyond what I ever thought we would be.
"I really commend Coach (Jay Norvell) and our assistant coaches for being able to bring culture and character people into the program and defense. You know, we're replacing 11 or 10 or 11 starters on defense. So, the continuity that comes with a lot of these younger guys who've been in the program or transfer portal guys and taking the right ones is important, and I think we've been able to do that."
End Mukendi Wa-Kalonji is the only returning starter, but there is some experience on the unit via the transfer portal, and a handful of key reserves from last year's unit is paying dividends. The coverage during camp has been tighter, and that was a major sticking point.
What they haven't done – with the exception of JaQues Evans – is play in Summers' system. It is designed to bring chaos and create turnovers. From what Summers is seeing, it is a group which can deliver.
"We start each day when we talk to them from a front perspective what runs are advantageous for us, what runs are not. And we do the same thing when it comes to pressure is to try to let them know what the challenges are going to be," Summers said. "That's what we try to work. I think they've done a great job with the understanding of it and being able to apply it."
Don't Beat Yourself
One of Norvell's main themes of camp is something he believes is starting to pay off. He gave every offensive player a ball at the beginning of camp, with the expectation they carry it high and tight no matter where they go on campus. If a defensive player can knock it out, fair game.
Jump offsides? The unit is doing up-downs. It all stems from the fact the Rams ranked 70th last year in penalties per game – not a good thing – but it was better than the 129th the squad sat the year prior. Norvell just wants his team to stay out of its own way.
"We didn't go live, but we got a lot of game situations. Really thought it was cleaner," Norvell said of Wednesday's workout. "Not as many penalties, not as many foolish penalties, pre-snap penalties, post-snap penalties. That was very good. We really emphasized a lot of end-of-game situations, so some usual situations like 4-minute, 2-minute. We did overtime today. So just exposing our players to all the things that are going to happen at the end of games that we need to be sharp on to win."
The Third Phase
Special teams was hit hard by graduation and the portal. The Rams need a new kicker, punter and holder, and they have to replace a lot of veterans who dominated the four units and how well they played.
Special teams coordinator Tommy Perry has had his work cut out for him, and still does with a few weeks before the opening game at Washington.
"That's probably been the biggest area that we've missed our experience is special teams. We've had so many guys -- Jack Howell, Henry Blackburn -- all those guys that were on teams. They're not there anymore," Norvell said. "So, we have a new group. I think we're more athletic. I think we've got a lot of guys that can run and hit. And now they have to understand Tommy's terminology and make sure we're all on the same page."
A positive has been the addition of kicker Isaiah Hankins, who has not only been accurate, but accurate with depth. Norvell called his left leg "live," adding he probably has the strongest leg of any kicker he has, a guy who has natural pop when connecting with the ball.
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