FSU Defensive Coordinator Charles Kelly Takes Job at Tennessee

Florida State defensive coordinator Charles Kelly has made it official and taken a job at Tennessee, according to reports. This marks an end to his 4-year tenure at the university.

The specifics of the job are not yet finalized, but the speculation is that Kelly will be the special teams coordinator under new head coach and FSU predecessor, Jeremy Pruitt.

Kelly had been in Tallahassee since 2013, when he came over from Georgia Tech and coached linebackers and special teams. After the national championship season, Pruitt departed for Georgia and Kelly was promoted to head defensive coordinator.

His 2014 defense was underwhelming, but his 2015 defense was a top unit according to most metrics. The past two seasons have been marked by rough starts with strong endings. Rumors had swirled since midseason that Kelly would not be retained by Jimbo Fisher at the end of the year. Fisher’s departure did little to help Kelly with his job security.

Ultimately his unit’s late season performances were not enough to keep his job. Kelly never had a bad defense, but for the talent that was brought in, fans expected more. Kelly now has a chance to revitalize his career and field a top defense at a different location.

Florida State’s new defensive coordinator remains unknown. Some names that have been tossed around include Southern Miss defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro and Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.