Kelly to Jax State
- Updated: December 21, 2024
Auburn co-defensive coordinator comes to Jax State with 35 years of experience, accolades as a top recruiter.
By East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE – Charles Kelly will be Jacksonville State’s 30th head football coach, the school announced Saturday.
Kelly, a native of Ozark, brings nearly 35 years of coaching experience, including five seasons at Jax State after being hired by Hall of Fame coach Bill Burgess.
“We are beyond excited to welcome Charles Kelly back to Jacksonville State,” Jax State vice president for athletics Greg Seitz said via news release. “Coach Kelly’s extensive experience, championship pedigree, and strong ties to Alabama make him the ideal leader for our program. His vision and passion will help us continue the success we’ve enjoyed in our first two years in Conference USA and build on our tradition of excellence.”
Kelly replaces Rich Rodriguez, who resigned after three seasons at Jax State to return to West Virginia. A virtual news conference and formal meet & greet are in the works, Jax State officials said.
Kelly has coached at Alabama, Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee and Georgia Tech. He has been part of teams that have won two national championships and numerous conference titles.
“First of all, it’s an unbelievable honor to have the opportunity to be the head football coach at Jacksonville State University,” Kelly said. “The standard of excellence at this university and in its athletic programs is second to none, and I am proud to return and build on that incredible tradition.”
Most recently, Kelly served as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Auburn, his alma mater. Under his guidance, the Tigers’ defense ranked among the SEC leaders in several categories, including scoring defense and rushing defense. Individually, freshmen Demarcus Riddick and Jay Crawford earned spots on the Freshman All-SEC Team.
Before his time at Auburn, Kelly was the defensive coordinator at Colorado in 2023, where he helped turn around the Buffaloes program under head coach Deion Sanders. His players included 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and All-Pac-12 safety Shiloh Sanders.
Kelly also spent four seasons at Alabama with Nick Saban as the associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach. During his tenure, the Crimson Tide achieved a 47-6 record and won a national championship in 2020.
In recognition of his recruiting prowess, Kelly was named the 2023 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year and consistently ranked among the top recruiters in the country.
Kelly’s coaching journey also includes stints at Tennessee, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Nicholls State. He served as defensive coordinator for four seasons at Florida State, where he helped lead the Seminoles to the first College Football Playoff and mentored several future NFL stars. Earlier in his career, Kelly held roles at Eufaula High School, Henderson State, and Phenix City High School.
“I’d like to thank Coach Hugh Freeze, the Auburn staff, and all the head coaches I’ve worked with throughout my career. I’m also grateful to the players I’ve had the privilege to coach—they’ve all contributed to this opportunity,” Kelly said. “I’m thrilled to be here, and it’s time to go to work,”
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