Auburn University is reportedly poised to bring in Colorado's defensive coordinator, Charles Kelly, to join its coaching staff, according to sources. Kelly, a former player for the Tigers from 1986 to 1989, has deep connections to the state and is expected to take on a co-defensive coordinator role under Auburn's primary coordinator, Ron Roberts.

Kelly's tenure at Colorado saw him working alongside coach Deion Sanders during a challenging 4-8 season. Despite facing personnel obstacles, Kelly was commended by Sanders for his efforts to improve the defense. Now, the 56-year-old coach will be heading to Auburn, where he hopes to bring his expertise and strategic approach to enhance the Tigers' defense.

Before joining Colorado, Kelly spent four seasons at the University of Alabama, where he served as associate defensive coordinator and coached the safeties. Kelly's coaching career began in the state of Alabama, working in high schools and later at Jacksonville State from 1994 to 1998.

The news of Auburn's expected hire of Kelly was first reported by 247 Sports. This move comes alongside other changes in Auburn's coaching staff, with offensive coordinator Sean Lewis departing to become the head coach at San Diego State. However, former NFL coach Pat Shurmur, who took over offensive playcalls towards the end of the season, will remain on staff.

Kelly brings a wealth of experience to Auburn, including his previous stint as Florida State's special teams coordinator and linebackers coach during their national championship-winning season in 2013. He later served as the defensive coordinator at Florida State from 2014 to 2017 and spent a season with Tennessee before joining Colorado.

With Kelly's extensive background and knowledge of the game, Auburn hopes to bolster its defensive capabilities and strengthen their overall performance on the field. The addition of a former Tigers player like Kelly, coupled with his success at various programs, could potentially be a valuable asset in Auburn's pursuit of success in the 2024 season.