WKU head coach Tyson Helton announced Wednesday that Tyson Summers has been promoted to defensive coordinator for the 2022 season. 

“I’d like to thank Coach Helton for giving me the opportunity to lead our defense,” Summers said in a press release. “I’m looking forward to working with our student athletes and staff as we continue to build off our program’s success.”

Summers replaces the former defensive coordinator Maurice Crum, who left Tuesday to be the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers’ coach at Ole Miss. 

Summers has coached for over 20 years, 19 at the college level. He was most recently the defensive analyst for Florida in 2021. Florida’s defense was the 25th best in passing yards allowed per game in the nation. Before Florida, he was a defensive coordinator at Colorado for two seasons. 

He was defensive quality control coach of the 2017 and 2018 Georgia Bulldog teams that won two SEC East division titles and the SEC Championship in 2017. Summers had a head coaching stint at Georgia Southern for 18 games in 2016 and 2017.

Helton and Summers coached together during their time at Alabama Birmingham from 2007-11.

Sports Editor Wyatt Sparkman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @wyattsparkman3.