WKU Football promoted co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Tyson Summers to defensive coordinator on Wednesday morning, head coach Tyson Helton announced.
Summers has been a major component to the Hilltoppers' coaching staff since January, bringing 20 years of coaching experience to the Hill.
Summers will be replacing former defensive coordinator Maurice Crum, who was recently hired on as the new co-defensive coordinator for Ole Miss.
Prior to joining Western Kentucky's coaching staff, Summers was a defensive analyst for Florida during the 2021 campaign. The Gators finished the season ranked No. 25 in the nation in passing yards allowed per game.
Before his job in Gainesville, FL., Summers was the defensive coordinator at Colorado during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Colorado recorded a 4-2 record in the shortened 2020 season, finishing third in the country in defensive fourth down conversion percentage as well as 13th in the country in third down conversion percentage. The Buffaloes also ranked seventh in tackles for loss as a unit.
Several players coached by Summers were taken in the 2020 NFL Draft as Colorado safety Davion Taylor was drafted to Philadelphia in the third round, Georgia Southern cornerback Kindle Vildor went to Chicago in the fifth round and placekicker Tyler Bass was drafted by Miami in the sixth round. Georgia safety J.R. Reed signed as a free agent with Jacksonville after the draft.
Prior to his stint as the defensive coordinator for Colorado, Summers was working in defensive quality control for Georgia. While in Athens, the Bulldogs recorded two SEC East Division titles. Georgia also recorded an SEC Championship title in 2017 before their advancement to the National Championship game.
Before his time in Athens, Summers spent two years in nearby Statesboro, where he was the head coach of Georgia Southern. In his first season, the team had seven athletes tabbed as all-conference members, including placekicker Younghoe Koo, who was named a Third Team All-American and named a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
The now-defensive coordinator for Western Kentucky earned the head coaching job at Georgia Southern after spending the 2015 campaign at Colorado State as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach. The Rams' defense evolved exponentially under Summers, improving from 32nd to ninth nationally in passing defense and 114th to 21st in tackles for loss.
Before being hired at Colorado State, Summers was at UCF from 2012-14, assisting the Knights in achieving a 31-9 record. Summers was the linebackers coach in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, before being promoted to defensive coordinator heading into the 2014 season. In his first season coordinating a defense, the Knights emerge as one of top defenses in the American Athletic Conference, ranking in the top 10 among FBS programs in total defense. The Knights were ranked fifth in total defense with 298.5 yards per game, ranked sixth in rushing defense with 104.3 yards per game, sixth in in redzone defense with 71.4 percent and were ninth in scoring defense with 19.2 points per game.
Summers also spent time at UAB from 2007-11 where he met WKU head coach Tyson Helton, who was also in Birmingham from 2007-12. Summers held the linebackers coach position during his first four seasons at UAB before becoming becoming the safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator during his final season.
Before taking the job at UAB, Summers spent a short time as Georgia Southern's safeties coach in 2006, was a graduate assistant at Georgia in 2005, and Troy in 2004 and was the defensive backs coach for Presbyterian in 2003.
Summers attended Presbyterian College, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Politicial Science and also lettered four tomes on the football team from 1998-2001. Summers earned All-South Atlantic Conference honors in his sophomore campaign and was the team captain as a senior.
Summers is married to the former Beth King and has three sons, Jake Walker and Anderson.
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