Auburn Losing Defensive Coordinator Charles Kelly to Head Coach Gig

The Auburn Tigers will have a new opening on their staff as co-defensive coordinator Charles Kelly is headed to Jackson State.

Auburn Tigers defensive coordinator Charles Kelly is expected to be the new head coach at Jacksonville State. / Photo by Austin Perryman, Auburn Tigers

Auburn Tigers co-defensive coordinator Charles Kelly looks to head off The Plains. According to CBS Sports Jacksonville State will name the Auburn alum as the new head coach. The position opened up when Rich Rodriguez headed back to West Virginia to accept that head coaching position. 

The former Auburn defensive back and national champion as a Florida State assistant (2014) leaves a defense that thrived in spots and teams with current talent with more talent coming down the pike.

History

Although Kelly leaves his alma mater, Jacksonville State will not be an unfamiliar sight to him. After a year stint as a graduate assistant at Auburn, Kelly coached for the Gamecocks under head coach Bill Burgess. From, 1994-1998, Kelly held four different jobs in the football program. 

First, he started off as a running backs coach, then moved to defensive backs before time as the offensive and then defensive coordinator. 

Impressions Left Behind

Auburn ranked 56th in FBS, allowing 213-yards-per-game through the air. However, as co-defensive coordinator, you saw a much-improved Tigers unit that despite a 5-7 record, kept the team in the game late, ranking 30th in points per game at 21.3. 

Most importantly, the foundation Kelly laid should support the Tigers' defense for years to come. For example, Kelly's smooth approach and teaching style help shape Keldric Faulk into a burgeoning star.  Early in the season, Faulk discussed how Kelly's unflappable nature may contrast with co-coordinator DJ Durkin. 

“Coach Durkin, every day, every meeting, his energy, he gets guys fired up in the meeting room to go out there and we want to run through a wall for him,” said Faulk. “Coach Kelly, man he’s one of the calmest guys I’ve ever seen. He’s technical,”  

Keldric Faulk w/ his 2nd sack of the 1st half & his 7th sack on the season pic.twitter.com/Y3vyVQpSp3

— Power of Dixieland (@PwrofDixieland) October 27, 2024

That technical aspect helps make marginal players good and good players great. Most players arrive on The Plains as the best of their particular high school. In other words, everyone comes talented. Yet, the adjustments and fundamentals assist the player when situations break down. 

Outlook

With Kelly heads to Jacksonville State, all eyes turn to Durkin to improve upon 2024 and lead the defense to an even better showing on the field. Granted, expectations at Auburn always feel high. However, with the assembled talent that will line up for spring practice, that pressure feels rather justified. 

The Tigers from players to coaches, fans, alums, or administration demand not only a bounce back season but a return to excellence. That starts with defense.