Report: Deion Sanders to hire Alabama assistant Charles Kelly to be defensive coordinator on his Colorado coaching staff
Deion Sanders is set to make another hire for his inaugural Colorado coaching staff, according to a report from a beat writer for Buffzone.com.
Brian Howell reports that Sanders is hiring Alabama associate defensive coordinator Charles Kelly to be his defensive coordinator for the Buffaloes. That is the second high-profile coordinator hire for Sanders, who has also reportedly hired Kent State coach Sean Lewis as his offensive coordinator.
Kelly has spent the past four seasons at Alabama as Nick Saban‘s associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Kelly has a wealth of coaching experience going back to 1990.
Prior to his four-year stint on Saban’s staff, Kelly spent a year at Tennessee (2018), four years at Florida State (2014-17) under Jimbo Fisher, seven years at Georgia Tech (2006-12) and four years at Nicholls State (2002-05).
Kelly bounced back and forth between various high school and college gigs from 1990-2001, including a one-year stint as a graduate assistant at Auburn (1993) and five years at Jacksonville State (1994-1998) in various capacities.
Now he’ll reportedly join the Colorado coaching staff.
Hiring Colorado coaching staff, upgrading roster key tasks for Deion Sanders
In addition to rounding out his Colorado coaching staff, Deion Sanders will also be tasked with rebuilding a roster that was one of the worst in the Power 5 in 2022.
The Buffaloes won just one game all year, prompting the dismissal of former coach Karl Dorrell.
At least some major national media analysts believe Sanders can turn things around quickly.
“We’re going to see so many people go into the transfer portal this week,” FOX Sports reporter Bruce Feldman said. “It’s going to be a feeding frenzy. And I have no doubt for your alma mater that Deion is going to bring a bunch of talent, not just with him from Jackson State, but a bunch of other guys.”
Feldman discussed the impact of Sanders’ hire at Colorado on The Joel Klatt Show on Tuesday. Klatt is a former Colorado quarterback.
“They’re going to dramatically upgrade a roster that — I think they have so far to go because that was the worst roster in Power 5,” Feldman said, “But I look at it as I think he will make the kind of leap where at least Jedd Fisch did at Arizona, where (they’re) going from awful to dangerous within the first year.”