Colorado assistant coach reportedly leaving Deion Sanders' staff in Boulder
Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly appears to be returning to the SEC.
Auburn is expected to hire Kelly, according to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports. Deion Sanders hired Kelly to his initial Colorado staff for the 2023 season. 247Sports’ Carl Reed also reported that the separation was a mutual parting of ways.
It’s a homecoming for Kelly. He graduated from Auburn in 1990. Kelly got his start in coaching at Phenix City Central (Alabama) High School. In 1993, he returned to AU as a graduate assistant on Terry Bowden’s staff.
In 2013, Kelly reunited with Jimbo Fisher, his former Auburn colleague. Fisher hired Kelly as Florida State’s linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. The Seminoles went on to win the BCS national championship that season.
Following Jeremy Pruitt’s departure from FSU, Kelly became the Noles’ defensive coordinator in 2014. He maintained the position for the remainder of Fisher’s FSU tenure through the 2017 season.
Kelly joined Pruitt’s Tennessee in 2018 as safeties coach and special teams coordinator. After one season with the Volunteers, Kelly was on the move to Alabama. Kelly served as associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach for 4 seasons on Nick Saban’s staff, including Alabama’s 13-0 national championship season in 2020.