Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers are poised to bring in Charles Kelly, Colorado’s defensive coordinator and an Auburn graduate, as reported by Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports on Saturday morning. Kelly, who recently joined the Buffaloes under Deion Sanders on December 6, 2022, is anticipated to depart after just one season with Colorado to join Auburn’s defensive staff. Notably, Auburn’s defensive coordinator Ron Roberts will continue to lead the defensive unit.
Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly is expected to leave the Buffs for a job on the defensive staff at Auburn, sources tell @247Sports.
Before Colorado, Kelly worked at Alabama and Tennessee and as a defensive coordinator at Florida State.https://t.co/dJORJ80Uo5 pic.twitter.com/TV7LkYErXx
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 30, 2023
Following Auburn’s defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff’s transition from an on-field role to an off-field position, Tanner Burns, the special teams coordinator, stepped in to fill the vacancy. The expectation now is that Kelly will assume the on-field coaching responsibilities, specifically overseeing Auburn’s secondary in collaboration with Zac Etheridge.
Before joining Deion Sanders’ coaching staff, Charles Kelly held a significant role at Alabama, serving as the Crimson Tide’s associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2019 to 2022. During his four-year stint under Nick Saban at Tuscaloosa, Kelly contributed to Alabama’s impressive 47-6 record, which notably included winning a national championship in 2020.
Kelly’s tenure at Alabama followed a year at Tennessee in 2018 and preceded his five-year involvement at Florida State. At FSU, he initially worked as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in 2013, later being promoted to the position of defensive coordinator, which he held from 2014 to 2017.
During his time in Tallahassee spanning five seasons, Florida State’s defense consistently ranked among the top 25 in his final three years.
Kelly initiated his career in the FBS ranks back in 2006 as the special teams coordinator at Georgia Tech, where he spent the subsequent seven seasons honing his coaching abilities.
Additionally, the addition of Kelly to Auburn’s coaching staff is expected to significantly enhance the team’s already impressive recruiting efforts. Kelly’s prowess in recruiting was recognized last year when he was named the national recruiter of the year by 247 Sports.
Charles Kelly, originally from Ozark, Alabama, completed his undergraduate studies at Auburn University in 1990, earning a degree in secondary math education. Subsequently, he pursued further education and obtained a master’s degree in education from Troy University in 2002.
Leave a Reply