Troy Renck: The top state institutions stranded us in a state of embarrassment. Football at altitude needs an attitude adjustment. That was the uncomfortable conclusion after Saturday’s cringeworthy developments in Boulder and Fort Collins. CU and CSU have been disappointing fans and alums for years, but their most recent actions have drawn so much disgust that they trended nationally. It is never a good sign when making headlines in a loss. So, what is more embarrassing? ? Or Rams coach Jim Mora erupting on Tyson Summers, stripping him of his responsibilities during the game, leading the former defensive coordinator to exit the stadium at halftime?
Sean Keeler: This weekend’s Bye is a 14.5-point favorite over Coach Prime’s Buffs and a 70.5-point over/under (take the over) against Mora’s Rams. It’s smelly up and down all ports of call on Highway 287 right now, but I’m going to pull a Hauss Hejny and give Gentleman Jim a sweet pass. The Rams have a year or two to figure this out, and there’s plenty of “figuring” left to do with that defense. But we’re in Year 4 of the Coach Prime Era, and the headlines coming out of Boulder are sliding into the surreal. And Deion Sanders doesn’t help put out dumpster fires when he throws an absent Julian Lewis under the bus without any kind of clear explanation.
Renck: The playbook the Buffs left at the Omni Interlocken hotel looked like a plant. Not an actual plant with hardy perennials, but a fake document with a CU script, if found, capable of putting Texas Tech on the wrong scent. Instead, the basic plays — think Deion Sanders getting suggestions from Dan “Intramurals” Hawkins — were legit when matched with the actual game film. This should have been the most shameful thing by CU and CSU. Problem is Texas Tech didn’t need the answers to the test. The Buffs offense is so toothless that CU need not bother giving the opponent any hints. As for Summers, that is a legendary fall from grace that offers no defense.
Keeler: You want to talk legends? The late, great Mike Leach, a Texas Tech icon, was a fount of hilarious anecdotes — and one of my favorites was the time Leach was Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator at the time and had a hunch UT would take the bait. They did. OU used the ruse to build a 17-0 lead before the Longhorns caught on and rallied for a 10-point win. The opposite happened here, as Tech looked completely confused during CU’s first drive — the one where the play-calls matched, and the Buffs stormed to a quick 7-0 lead — before shutting down the hosts the rest of the way. Could it have been an inside job, left by a CU staffer who just wants this nightmare over with?
Renck: I have heard of players retiring or quitting during a game. But a coach? According to reports, Mora relieved Summers of play-calling duties — he was working from the sideline — and instead of heading to the press box for the second half, he left. This type of exit is unprecedented. Mora unloaded on Summers at UTSA over a late substitution that led to an easy touchdown. The relationship clearly was not repaired on Saturday. Summers was always a surprise retention for CSU, and he did nothing to earn Mora’s trust. The Rams have allowed 50-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1981. Talk about an ideal time for a bye week. Mora emasculated Summers. Every man draws a line in the sand. So, Summers left. Good luck trying to explain the LinkedIn gap on the resume. But cap tip for exiting on his own terms. Truth. Summers’ departure is more embarrassing because the Buffs step into it so often it has become normalized.
Keeler: Yeah, but that shouldn’t excuse the mess on the bottom of AD Fernando Lovo’s shoes, either. Mora’s gonna Mora. CSU officials should’ve worked a lot harder behind the curtains to keep that shotgun wedding from blowing up in everybody’s faces. Buffs fans and Rams fans at the water cooler this week can both point to the other team and snicker. FoCo’s gone off the rails. But I’ll bet you that the headlines out of Boulder are more likely to get worse in the weeks to come.
