Defensive Coaching Staff

TYSON SUMMERS | DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Colorado State football coach Jay Norvell announced the hiring of the veteran coach Sunday as the Rams' new defensive coordinator. It will be Summers' second stint as the team's defensive leader, formerly serving in the role in the 2015 season for Mike Bobo.

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to be back at Colorado State," said Summers. "I want to thank Coach Norvell for this opportunity and I'm looking forward to leading a group of talented young men. My wife Beth and family enjoyed our time in Fort Collins when we were here prior and we're looking forward to reuniting with the Fort Collins community and Ram fans."

Summers comes to Colorado State from Western Kentucky, where he has served as the Hilltoppers' defensive coordinator for the past three seasons. His units ranked near the top of the Conference USA statistics all three seasons in terms of scoring defense, allowing 24.6 points per game overall this season, 20.4 in conference play. They ranked in the top half of the conference in pass defense, leading the league this season by allowing just 176.1 yards per game.

During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Hilltoppers led the nation in defensive touchdowns, scoring nine times. His units also had a penchant for creating turnovers those two years with 58 combined, leading the country in 2022, ranking seventh in 2023. WKU's defense forced 20 turnovers in 2024, 10 each for interceptions and fumbles recovered.

In 2022, Summers was a candidate for the Broyles Award, presented annually to the top assistant in the nation.

After his one season with the Rams, Summers was named the head coach at Georgia Southern, a position he held for two seasons. He spent the 2018 season as a defensive quality control coach at Georgia, then became Colorado's defensive coordinator from 2019-2020. He was a defensive analyst at Florida in 2021 before heading to Western Kentucky.

BRAYDEN HERDIC | SAFETIES

Defensive Coordinator Tyson Summers has added Brayden Herdic to his defensive staff as a safeties coach. Herdic spent the past six seasons at Western Kentucky, starting as a student assistant linebackers coach before a defensive quality control personal for the past three seasons.

"Coach Herdic has been in a lot of different places even though he's a young coach," said Tyson Summers. "Brayden has been able to work for some of the best coaches in the country and multiple coaches in the NFL. He brings an ability to connect with and teach our young players and will be a tremendous recruiter for us on the road."

Prior to arriving on The Hill, Herdic spent the 2018 season at SEMO as a student assistant special teams coach. Herdic started his coaching career at Eric CC in 2017 as a student assistant.

JOHN JANCEK | OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

Coach Jancek is no stranger to Colorado State, serving as the Rams' Defensive Coordinator from 2018-19 under head coach Mike Bobo. Jancek spent the 2024 season with Colorado State as a volunteer, assisting the offense. Jancek will move back to the defensive room in 2025 and coach the outside linebackers.

"We are thrilled to have John Jancek and a coach with his background and reputation on our staff," said defensive coordinator Tyson Summers. "John has won multiple national championships at various levels and has been a coordinator for over 20 years, including at multiple schools in the SEC. He'll do an elite job coaching our players and I'm excited to have his veteran experience on our staff."

As a coaching veteran, Jancek has over 30 years of experience coaching defense and 20 years of leading that side of the ball as a coordinator. With stops at Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Tennessee, LSU and on staff at Georgia for the 2021 National Championship. Jancek also won a national championship in 2002 while the Defensive Coordinator at Grand Valley State.

CHUKA NDULUE | DEFENSIVE LINE

Chuka Ndulue was named Colorado State's defensive line coach on January 3, 2024.

Ndulue came to Fort Collins following two incredibly successful seasons in the same role at New Mexico State which included a double-digit win figure (10) for just the second time in program history.

During the Aggies’ historic 2023 season, Ndulue led defensive tackle Sterling Webb to first team All-Conference USA recognition – the lone defensive first teamer for the Aggies – and Izaiah Reed to honorable mention honors. The Aggie defense led C-USA in points allowed per game during the regular season (19.7), and Webb was one of the league’s most disruptive interior defenders.

Prior to his time in Las Cruces, Ndulue led the defensive line for three seasons at FCS Southern Illinois. During his tenure, the Salukis totaled 21 wins and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs in both 2020 and 2021. Ndulue mentored three defensive linemen - Jordan Berner, Anthony Knighton, and Malik Haynes – to All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors. Knighton concluded his career as the Salukis’ all-time leader in career sacks (25.5), tackles for loss (52.0) and games started (57).

In 2017, following his playing career in the NFL, Ndulue began coaching as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Oklahoma, before becoming a defensive graduate assistant at Nebraska in 2018.

Signed by the Denver Broncos out of college, Ndule spent three seasons in the NFL with Denver (2015) and the Los Angeles Chargers (2015-16) following a decorated collegiate career at Oklahoma where he was a three-year starter for the Sooners. He racked up 140 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss and 12 sacks over the course of his Oklahoma career (2010-14) and earned All-Big 12 second team honors twice. His 15 tackles against Texas in the 2013 Red River Rivalry set an Oklahoma program record for tackles in a game by a defensive lineman. He was a part of 51 victories, including three bowl wins, and two Big 12 regular season titles as a player.

CLINT SINTIM | INSIDE LINEBACKERS

NIGEL MADISON | CORNERBACKS

MATTY AH YOU | NICKELS

TRENT MATTHEWS | RUN GAME SPECIALIST

ADAM LOPEZ | ASSISTANT DEFENSIVE LINE COACH

TYSON WILLIAMS | ASSISTANT DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH