
Defensive coordinator Charles Kelly speaks to the media for the first time since being hired at CU. March 2, 2023. (Griffin Dreifaldt/CU Independent)
On Thursday afternoon, March 3, the University of Colorado Boulder held its first press conference with the new defensive staff for the CU football team.
The conference had introductions for the new staff: the defensive coordinator, Charles Kelly, Cornerbacks Coach Kevin Mathis, Linebackers Coach Andre Hart and Defensive Ends Coach Nick Williams.
This defensive staff is highly talented and experienced. New defensive coordinator Charles Kelly began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Auburn University, then moved up the ranks at Jacksonville State and Georgia Tech. He won a National Championship at Florida State as the defensive coordinator, was at Tennessee for a year and then won another National Championship at Alabama as the assistant defensive coordinator and safeties coach before ultimately taking the DC job at Colorado in December.
Kevin Mathis and Andre’ Hart coached at Jackson State University and were crucial people Head Coach Deion Sanders brought in. Nick Williams came from Texas A&M, where he was a defensive analyst and prominent recruiter for the Aggies.
At Alabama, Charles Kelly’s defense ran a cover 7 concept (cover seven uses zone with man-match principle; allows defenders to attach in-man coverage based on the depth of route and receiver alignment). Many wonder if he will bring a similar defense to Boulder.
“We want to [have] a very multiple defense, we want to adjust from week to week,” said Kelly. “We want to be big, we want to be physical, we want to be disciplined, we want to be fast and we want to be tough. We want to be an aggressive style defense.”
This new Colorado defense will be unlike anything these coaches have been a part of as Colorado’s defense will be heavily secondary-focused. This isn’t surprising as they have arguably the greatest cornerback of all time at the helm in Deion Sanders.
“We’re probably the only place in America that’s going to start from the outside in because that’s who he [Sanders] is,” said Mathis. “That’s what we want to build our brand on. I want to make sure our guys outside are lockdown guys. That will allow us to do what we need to do inside.”
Mathis will be tasked with developing and coaching two five-star recruits, Travis Hunter and Cormani McClain, who hope to be elite shutdown corners for the Buffs’ defense.
“I don’t care if they are five stars, six stars, no stars. We’re going to work them hard and we are going to train them up right to make sure that they are doing the best thing to make this Colorado defense great,” said Mathis.
This new defensive staff is highly effective in recruiting and has already flipped commits from other programs to come to play in Boulder. Jimmy Horn (USF), Dylan Edwards (Notre Dame), Cormani McClain (Miami) have all come from other schools to play for the Buffs. Charles Kelly and Nick Williams were key recruiters at their prior schools in Alabama and Texas A&M.
“Recruiting is not about one person,” Kelly said. “It’s just like raising a child. It takes a village to recruit a player…it’s about building relationships and listening more than talking. People will tell you what they want and what they’re looking for. And if you have an opportunity to provide that, you have a chance to get that player.”
The 2023-2024 defensive staff has a chance to be truly special, with each coach providing their unique experience and talent. The defense itself will be one of a kind. Intertwining Charles Kelly’s skillset with elite cornerback play is a match made in heaven.
“It’s going to be our defense,” Kelly said. “That’s what we want it to be, but we have to establish the criteria and we have to establish our identity. We have to do that consistently. There’s a lot of work that goes into it.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Griffin Dreifaldt at griffin.dreifaldt@colorado.edu.