Colorado is expected to hire Alabama associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach Charles Kelly as the program's defensive coordinator under new head coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders, according to ESPN. The 55-year old Kelly has served as the associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach for Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa since 2019. The Crimson Tide won a national championship in 2020 and have ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense each of the four seasons Kelly has been on Alabama's staff.

Kelly previously served as the special teams coordinator and safeties coach at Tennessee in 2018 and he was the defensive coordinator at Florida State, Sanders' alma mater, from 2014-17. Kelly was the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in Tallahassee when the Seminoles won the national championship in 2013.

According to the 247Sports database, Kelly has been the primary or secondary recruiter on 44 blue-chip prospects, including six five-star recruits. An Alabama native, Kelly played defensive back at Auburn in the late '80s. His coaching career has also included stops at Georgia Tech, Nicholls State and Jacksonville State.