Auburn football has announced the signing of Charles Kelly as the team’s newest defensive coordinator, via X. Kelly was the DC for the Colorado Buffaloes last season after an extensive career across the country. He’s spent time with some of the most notable programs in the nation, including Florida State, Alabama, and Tennessee.
Kelly was named the 2023 National Recruiter of the Year for the work he did in Boulder. The Tigers look to take advantage of these schools on their road toward the top of the SEC. It’s been known that defense wins championships down south and Auburn has certainly been struggling in that category. Kelly has the experience and contacts to be a great leader for the Tigers.
He’d led some phenomenal defensive groups like FSU’s core with Derwin James and Jalen Ramsey, as well as Alabama’s group with Patrick Surtain II, Trevon Diggs, and Jordan Battle. He’s developed great schemes while having to play against some of the nation’s top receivers and running backs in the SEC. His history in the conference should also suit him well in the recruiting realm right away.
The Tigers have recruited at a high level recently, but it’s mostly been on the offensive end. Added a coach like Kelly to their staff takes some of the pressure off head coach Hugh Freeze. Auburn football ended the 2023 year with a 6-7 record, falling short of a bowl game win in the Music City Bowl. The pressure is high in the Plains, but it seems like they brought in a great suitor.
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