The defense, special teams support staff for CSU under Jim Mora

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Jim Mora's first staff at Colorado State is set.

CSU has announced Mora's coaching group for the 2026 season. This is a look at the staff on defense.

Click here for a full look at the offensive staff.

Here's a look at Mora's defense, special teams and strength staff.

Tyson Summers: Defensive coordinator

Summers is back for his third total season as CSU defensive coordinator and second in a row. Mora will be the third CSU head coach Summers has been defensive coordinator for.

Summers was hired by Jay Norvell ahead of the 2025 season and then took over as CSU interim coach when Norvell was fired in October. Summers also served as CSU's defensive coordinator in 2015 under Mike Bobo.

The Rams finished 2025 second-to-last in the Mountain West in scoring defense (30.8 points per game allowed) and last in total defense (426 yards per game allowed) as the injury-ravaged unit struggled.

He came back to CSU after three seasons as Western Kentucky’s defensive coordinator, where the Hilltoppers were one of the top teams in forcing turnovers.

Western Kentucky ranked ninth nationally in pass defense in 2024. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Hilltoppers led the nation in defensive touchdowns, scoring nine times.

Kyle Krantz: Special teams coordinator, outside linebackers coach

Krantz spent the last three seasons at Liberty, where he at times held roles both as special teams and defensive coordinator. Liberty led the nation with 21 interceptions in 2023 and frequently ranked near the top in the nation in turnovers forced.

Krantz is a Northern Colorado graduate. He was Washington State's special teams coordinator in 2021 and has also worked at Missouri (2022), South Carolina (2016-20), Auburn (2015), Florida (2013-14), Kentucky (2011-12) and Northern Colorado (2009-10).

Kenny McClendon: Assistant head coach, defensive line coach

McClendon spent the last four seasons as the defensive line coach at UConn under Mora.

Prior to UConn, he was at Youngstown State (2020-21). He was at Valdosta State (2018-19) to help win a national championship.

McClendon played on the defensive line at Central Michigan (2009-13) and has also worked at Carthage College, Iowa State and Central Michigan.

Dalton Hilliard: Passing game coordinator, defensive backs coach

Hilliard and Mora have a long connection. Hilliard worked under Mora at UConn from 2022-25 and also was a graduate assistant for Mora at UCLA from 2015-17.

UConn's secondaries had double-digit interception numbers in three of his four seasons. Prior to UConn, he worked at Arkansas State (2021), Tennessee Martin (2019-20) and UCLA.

Siriki Diabate: Run game coordinator, linebackers coach

Diabate joins Mora from UConn, where he served in the same role for the last four seasons (2022-25). Diabate has also coached at Middle Tennessee State (2017-21), Notre Dame (2017), Colgate (2015-17) and Syracuse (2013-15).

He played linebacker at Syracuse prior to his coaching career.

Matt Ah You: Assistant defensive backs, nickelbacks coach

Ah You is retained by Mora after serving on Norvell's staff in 2025. Prior to CSU, he spent four seasons at Weber State coaching linebackers. The former BYU linebacker has also coached at BYU (2018-19), Oregon State (2017) and Utah State (2016).

Trent Matthews: Assistant inside linebackers coach

Matthews played for Colorado State as a safety from 2011-15 and earned All-Mountain West honors twice. He finished his career in the top-10 in school history in interceptions and games played and started.

He returned to CSU on Norvell's staff in 2025 and was retained by Mora. He's also worked at Colorado Mesa (2022-24) and Northern Colorado (2019) as well as in the high school ranks.

Tyson Brown: Senior associate head coach, director of strength and conditioning

Brown served in the same role he will hold at CSU for the last two seasons under Mora at UConn.

Prior to UConn, he held the same role at Mississippi State from 2020-23 and Washington State before that from 2018-20.

He played defensive back at Sioux Falls, helping his team win two NAIA national championships. Brown has also worked at Elon, South Florida, Washington, Baylor and with the Houston Texans.

Colton Bosnos: Football chief of staff

Bosnos is retained by Mora in the same role he served in 2025 and Bosnos has been with the Rams since 2022 in a variety of roles.

Prior to CSU, Bosnos was on Norvell's recruiting and personnel staff at Nevada (2018-21).

Alex Collins: General manager

Collins is retained by Mora in the same role he served in 2025 after being hired as CSU's first football GM. Collins oversees the recruiting efforts and roster personnel for the CSU football program.

Prior to CSU, Collins worked at Ole Miss (2020-24) where he was in player personnel and recruiting. He's also worked at FAU (2019), Nevada (2018) and USC (2012-17).