Charles Kelly is departing from his role as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Colorado to join the staff at Auburn, as reported by 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
In his one-year tenure at Colorado under Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, Kelly’s defensive efforts yielded mixed results, with the Buffaloes ranking poorly in yards per game surrendered.
Despite this, the defense showcased aggressiveness, generating 20 takeaways and delivering crucial performances in key moments.
Liked the potential of the #CUBuffs defense under the direction Charles Kelly going forward. His group was opportunistic & showed some improvement. Kelly is a good recruiter & great ambassador for a program. That said, CU did rank 121st out of 130 FBS programs in scoring defense.
— Adam Munsterteiger (@adamcm777) December 30, 2023
Kelly’s move to Auburn represents a homecoming, as he was born in Ozark, Ala., and previously played as a defensive back for the Tigers from 1986 to 1989.
Furthermore, he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn in 1993. In 2024, he is expected to serve as a co-defensive coordinator for the Tigers.
I talked to Coach Prime this morning about Defensive Coordinator Charles Kelly moving on to Auburn. This was something that they both agreed upon. Coach Prime is always for his coaches making the moves they feel are best for their careers and their family.
But the Defensive… pic.twitter.com/8qNkfzYnzm
— Carl Reed Jr. (@CoachReedLive) December 30, 2023
Prior to his stint at Colorado, Kelly held positions at prominent football programs, including being the associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Alabama from 2019 to 2022.
He also took on the role of special teams coordinator and safeties coach at Tennessee in 2018 and served as the defensive coordinator at Florida State for four years from 2013 to 2017. Kelly’s coaching journey includes stops at Jacksonville State, Nicholls State, and Georgia Tech.
In response to Kelly’s departure, Colorado has been actively reinforcing its defensive roster with seven recent transfers, with DJ Lundy, a former Florida State linebacker, being the latest addition.
You just have to accept the fact #CoachPrime @DeionSanders ain’t caught off guard by nothing in his program – he knows before you know and already has a plan in place – and it ALWAYS gets better than it was before – what’s coming gone rock the 🌎! #ThePrimeEffect
— Thee Pregame Show (@theepregameshow) December 30, 2023
Coach Prime has emphasized the team’s focus on improving its run defense, given the Buffs’ struggles in allowing an average of 176.4 rushing yards per game in the 2023 season.
This move marks the second change in Colorado’s defensive staff during the offseason, following the departure of outside linebackers coach Nick Williams to Syracuse. Coach Prime swiftly filled the vacancy by promoting Vincent Dancy to the role.
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