Looks like Kelly is now “official”

[PigskinPat 2,579]

 

[PigskinPat 2,579]

And I would think he is the one Jeffrey Lee is referring to on the visit to see Williams today.

 

[ScotsAU 1,335]

He’s apparently been given the co DC title. Does this mean we probably already have a DC in place and it just hasn’t been announced?

[aubiefifty 16,803]

al.com

Auburn officially hires former Colorado DC, Auburn player Charles Kelly as co-DC

Updated: Jan. 12, 2024, 11:58 a.m.|Published: Jan. 12, 2024, 11:48 a.m.

~4 minutes

Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly speaks at an NCAA college football Pac-12 media day Friday, July 21, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Lucas Peltier)AP

Reports that Auburn might hire former Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly first surfaced Dec. 30, just before Auburn’s Music City Bowl matchup against Maryland.

However, official word of Kelly’s hiring didn’t come until Jan. 12, when Hugh Freeze and the Auburn football program publicly announced the addition of Kelly, who is a native of Ozark, Ala. and played for the Tigers from 1986-89.

“Charles is an outstanding football mind who is an excellent recruiter and understands the landscape of Auburn and the Southeastern Conference,” Freeze said Friday in a release. “We are excited to have Charles on our staff as we continue building a strong foundation for the future success of Auburn football.”

Kelly’s return to his alma mater comes after a season spent in Boulder, Colo., where he served as Colorado’s defensive coordinator under Deion Sanders.

“I am very grateful to return to a university and a football program that have meant so much to me growing up in this state and playing for Coach Dye,” Kelly said Friday in a release. “It’s an honor to work with Coach Freeze, whom I have a tremendous amount of respect for, and I’m appreciative of him for this opportunity.”

The hiring of Kelly also follows the departures of a pair of Auburn defensive assistants in secondary coach Wesley McGriff, who jumped ship to Texas A&M, and defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who reunited with Billy Napier at Florida.

Prior to joining Sanders’ staff, Kelly was at Alabama, where he served as the Crimson Tide’s associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2019-22. During his four-season tenure under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, Kelly helped Alabama to a 47-6 record, which included winning a national title in 2020.

Kelly’s time at Alabama succeeded one season at Tennessee (2018), which came after five seasons at Florida State. Kelly served as the Seminoles’ special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in 2013 and was later promoted to FSU’s defensive coordinator — a role he held from 2014-17.

In his five seasons in Tallahassee, Florida State’s defense ranked among the top 25 in his final three seasons.

During his time with the Seminoles, Kelly also coached 10 NFL Draft picks, including a pair of first-rounders in Jalen Ramsey and Derwin James, who were taken No. 5 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft and No. 17 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Kelly got his start in the FBS ranks in 2006 as the special teams coordinator at Georgia Tech, where he spent the next seven seasons.

The addition of Kelly is also bound to boost Auburn’s red-hot recruiting efforts as Kelly was named last year’s national recruiter of the year by 247 Sports.

“I look forward to helping Coach Freeze and this staff bring our program back to the caliber of championship football that Auburn deserves,” Kelly said. “As the Auburn Creed states, ‘I believe in work, hard work.’ I do not take this opportunity lightly and am ready to go to work. War Eagle!”

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[Elephant Tipper 430]

Evaluating new Auburn assistant Charles Kelly as a recruiter (247sports.com)

Evaluating new Auburn assistant Charles Kelly as a recruiter

Charles Kelly was 247Sports' No. 1 recruiter in the 2023 cycle

CHRISTIAN CLEMENTE34 mins8

 

Auburn officially added Charles Kelly to its defensive staff on Friday, with the Colorado defensive coordinator returning to his alma mater as co-defensive coordinator and a defensive backs coach.

From Ozark, Alabama, Kelly started his coaching career back at Central-Phenix City (Ala.) as an assistant coach in 1990 once his playing career at Auburn wrapped up. He got his first college coaching job as a graduate assistant at Auburn in 1993, before getting his first collegiate on-field role at Jacksonville State in 1994. Kelly has had a collection of different stops since then, including at Georgia Tech, Florida State, Alabama and most recently at Colorado. 

Along the way, he's becoming touted as one of the best recruiters in college football. His efforts in 2023 at Alabama and the late push once he arrived at Colorado ended up earning him the 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year award.

“An honest, stand-up, good guy,” Madhouse Fitness founder Tracy Varner told 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong after Kelly was named the Recruiter of the Year. “If anybody deserves Recruiter of the Year it’s CK. Kids love him. He’s a country guy from Alabama and doesn’t pretend to be something else. Does his job, literally did his job to the day he left Alabama. All the talk had come out he was going to Colorado and he recruited for Alabama and did his job till the day he left. He never once tried to convince a kid to come out there. He did his job for Alabama.

“CK tells you what program is, how you fit in it, tells you to work hard and you’ll be fine. He told our guys you’re going to get coaches hard. Doesn’t promise anything. Doesn’t sugarcoat anything.”

 

Taking a look at some of Kelly's biggest recruiting wins over the years. NOTE: All rankings are based off the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rankings:

S CALEB DOWNS — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Kelly's highest-ranked addition, Caleb Downs was part of his 2023 class at Alabama before departing to Colorado. Downs was ranked as the No. 6 player, No. 1 safety and No. 1 player from Georgia out of Mill Creek. Fellow defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson was credited as the secondary recruiter for Downs. Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State also received official visits.

 

CB LEVONTA TAYLOR — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Secondary

In the Class of 2016, Levonta Taylor was ranked as the No. 7 player, No. 1 player from Virginia, hailing from Ocean Lakes. Florida State was the only school to get an official visit from Taylor, with Odell Haggins listed as the primary recruiter while Kelly was the secondary recruiter.

DE JOSH SWEAT — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Secondary

Back in the 2015 recruiting cycle, Kelly teamed up with Sal Sunseri as the recruiters for Josh Sweat. Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Virginia Tech were all heavily involved and got official visits for the Virginia native who ranked as the No. 8 player and No. 1 edge in the country. 

CB CORMANI MCCLAIN — COLORADO

Recruiter: Primary

Right after taking over the job at Colorado, Kelly went to work with Deion Sanders and Kevin Mathis to try and flip Cormani McClain from Miami. McClain, who ranked as the No. 13 player and No. 1 cornerback in the class, opted not to sign in the early period and flipped to Colorado in January before signing in February.

CB TARVARUS MCFADDEN — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Secondary

Florida State was the lone school to get an official visit as Kelly teamed up with Bill Miller to land the No. 15 player and No. 3 cornerback in the country in Tarvarus McFadden back in the 2015 class. 

EDGE WILL ANDERSON — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Originally from Hampton, Georgia, it was once again Kelly and Sunseri that teamed up to get Will Anderson — this time at Alabama. Anderson ranked as the No. 17 player and No. 1 edge in the 2020 class. Georgia Tech was the only other school to get an official visit.

DT JAMES SMITH — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

A name that Auburn fans are plenty familiar with from the 2023 recruiting class, James Smith was recruited by Kelly and Freddie Roach throughout the process. He was ranked as the No. 26 player and No. 2 defensive lineman, choosing the Crimson Tide over Auburn, Georgia and Florida.

EDGE YHONZAE PIERRE — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Another Kelly and Roach recruitment for Alabama in the 2023 class, Yhonzae Pierre was the No. 30 player and No. 4 edge in the class. Kelly used his connection to Eufaula high school — a spot he previously coached — to get Pierre early on in the class with no other schools getting an official visit.

EDGE QUA RUSSAW — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Yet again a Kelly and Roach special in 2023, Qua Russaw is the ninth and final 5-star that Kelly is credited with recruiting. Russaw was the No. 34 player and No. 5 edge in the class, also a package deal with Smith as the two considered the same schools and went on all their visits together.

OT ELIJAH PRITCHETT — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Out of Carver-Columbus (Ga.), Kelly and Doug Marrone beat out the likes of Georgia, Florida State and USC for the Elijah Pritchett. In the 2022 class, Pritchett was the No. 37 player, No. 5 offensive tackle and No. 5 player from Georgia.

CB STANFORD SAMUELS — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Secondary

Back in the 2017 recruiting class, it was Florida State or Georgia for Stanford Samuels. The 'Noles won out with Miller and Kelly, landing the No. 38 player and No. 4 cornerback in the class and keeping him home in Florida. 

RB EMMANUEL HENDERSON — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Alabama got an early commitment from Emmanuel Henderson in the 2022 class with Kelly and Robert Gillespie leading the way. Henderson ranked as the No. 41 player, No. 2 running back and No. 2 player from Alabama in the class, only officially visiting Alabama. Auburn tried to stay involved in his recruitment, but was unsuccessful.

WR TRAVIS RUDOLPH — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Primary

Back in the 2014 class, Florida State and Kelly battled with Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State and Tennessee for Travis Rudolph. Kelly and Florida State assistant Lawrence Dawsey won out, landing the No. 43 player, No. 6 wide receiver and No. 6 player from Florida in the class.

WR ISAIAH BOND — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Committed to Florida for part of the 2022 recruiting cycle, Isaiah Bond was considered an elite athlete and a defensive back by some and wide receiver by others. He's found his home in Tuscaloosa as a receiver. Bond ranked as the No. 52 player, No. 2 athlete and No. 6 player coming out of Georgia, hailing from Buford.

CB TERRION ARNOLD — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Originally from Florida and also considering the Gators, Kelly dipped back into The Sunshine State and plucked away Terrion Arnold as part of his 2021 class. Arnold was ranked as the No. 51 player, No. 3 safety and No. 12 player from Florida.

DL KHURTISS PERRY — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Kelly and Roach once again dipped into the Montgomery area to land Khurtiss Perry in 2022. Auburn and UCF also got official visits, but Alabama led most of the way and got him on Signing Day. Perry ranked as the No. 65 player, No. 11 defensive lineman and No. 3 player from Alabama.

IOL TERRENCE FERGUSON — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

From Peach County (Ga.), Kelly and Kyle Flood were credited with the addition of Terrence Ferguson in 2021. Ferguson was the No. 58 player, No. 2 interior offensive lineman and No. 6 player from Georgia in the class.

S BRIAN BRANCH — ALABAMA

Recruiter: Primary

Alabama, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma battled it out for Brian Branch, but it was Kelly and Karl Scott who got the Sandy Creek (Ga.) product. In the 2020 class, Branch was ranked as the No. 61 player, No. 3 safety and No. 8 player from Georgia.

OLB JACOB PUGH — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Primary

All the way back in the 2014 recruiting class, Florida State was the only school to get an official visit from Jacob Pugh. The Florida native ranked as the No. 69 player, No. 5 outside linebacker and No. 10 player from The Sunshine State. Kelly was the only coach listed as a recruiter for Pugh.

EDGE JANARIUS ROBINSON — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Primary

A 2016 class addition, Janarius Robinson looked at the Gators and the Seminoles coming out of Bay high school (Fla.). Kelly was the only coach listed as a recruiter for Robinson, who ranked as the No. 85 player, No. 7 edge and No. 14 player from Florida.

S CYRUS FAGAN — FLORIDA STATE

Recruiter: Secondary

Florida State led most of the way for Cyrus Fagan, with Kelly and Rick Trickett recruiting him. Fagan is the 21st and final top-100 player that Kelly is credited with recruiting, ranking as the No. 97 player in the 2017 class and No. 13 safety.

 

[cbo 7,854]

I love this hire. Recruiter of the year with deep ties to Alabama. He probably already knows some of our main targets for this class from his time at UA. 

I'm not aware of any connections Freeze has to Kelly, so this is a big pull. All credit to Freeze here. 

[Elephant Tipper 430]

2 minutes ago, cbo said:

I love this hire. Recruiter of the year with deep ties to Alabama. He probably already knows some of our main targets for this class from his time at UA. 

I'm not aware of any connections Freeze has to Kelly, so this is a big pull. All credit to Freeze here. 

CK applied for the DC job when HF was hired.  Instead, HF offered him the asst/associate DC job.  CK declined and took the Colorado DC job that DS offered.  I think that it was HF realizing he made a mistake in not hiring CK previously.

[woodford 3,659]

This will be CHF's best and most important hire. A recruiting class outside the top 10 (or even 5-7) will be seen as a massive failure going forward. 

[CameronCrazy 1,062]

If this man can get James Smith, Qua Russaw, Elijah Pritchett, and Emmanuelle Henderson to hit the portal - then he’s GOLD in my book!