Colorado defensive coordinator Charles Kelly is departing after one season with Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes to take on a role as the co-defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Auburn, according to 247Sports. Kelly played at Auburn from 1986-89. He spent this past season in Boulder, Colorado, after working the previous four years as associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach under Nick Saban at Alabama.
Kelly is the fifth coach to depart the Colorado program this offseason. Former Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis took the vacant coaching job at San Diego State earlier this month, while position coaches Nick Williams (defensive ends), Bill O'Boyle (offensive line) and Tim Brewster (tight ends) have also left since the conclusion of the 2023 season, the first under Sanders.
Brewster was the first coach to depart following the season-finale against Utah on Nov. 25. He announced his resignation from his post on social media following the 23-17 loss to the Utes and was hired as the associate head coach and tight ends coach at Charlotte days later.
Lewis took the vacant coaching job at SDSU after longtime coach Brady Hoke retired. He left his post as Kent State coach last offseason to join Sanders and help elevate the Buffaloes into one of the top offensive units in the Pac-12. Sanders elected to hand the offensive playcalling duties late in the season to analyst Pat Shurmur in favor of Lewis, however. He simultaneously demoted Brewster to an analyst position in order to make room for Shurmur in the coach's box.
Colorado started the season 3-0 under Sanders but finished the season in disappointing fashion by dropping eight of its final nine games. The Buffaloes were seeking their first winning season since the 2016 campaign and finished at the bottom of the Pac-12 standings with a 1-8 record in conference play.
