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JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville State University’s football program is entering a new era under the leadership of its latest head coach, Charles Kelly.
He has worked throughout his career and risen through the ranks from his high school aspirations to working alongside some of the biggest names in college football. Now back at Jax State, he is determined to build a program rooted in player development and a culture of discipline.
The coach, who played at Auburn University in the late 1980s, never expected to enter the college coaching world, he told members of the Jacksonville Exchange Club on Thursday. His original goal was to become the head coach of a high school program, but an unexpected call from his former coordinator at Auburn changed his future. He accepted a graduate assistant role with the Tigers, knowing he could not afford to linger in the position for long without a full-time salary.
His big break came sooner than expected. After just one season working with defensive backs, Jax State head coach Bill Burgess found himself in need of a new running backs coach. A mutual connection from Auburn recommended him for the position, and after a quick interview in July, he was offered the job. That moment marked the beginning of his journey in collegiate coaching.
Jax State became a place of many firsts for him, including his first full-time college coaching job, the purchase of his first home and the birthplace of his first child at the then-Jacksonville Hospital.
His career then took him to new opportunities at bigger programs. Over the years, he worked with some of the most respected minds in football, including a defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech who had previously served as a head coach at Virginia.
“When I was at Georgia Tech, I was in my 40s,” Kelly said. “I worked for a defensive coordinator who had…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/jax-state-coach-brings-experience-045900521.html
Author : The Anniston Star, Ala.
Publish date : 2025-02-22 04:59:00
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