In December 2024, Jacksonville State University appointed Charles Kelly as its head football coach, marking a significant shift in the program’s leadership. Kelly, an Alabama native, brings nearly 35 years of coaching experience, including previous roles at Jacksonville State under Hall of Fame coach Bill Burgess. His extensive resume features positions at prominent institutions such as Tennessee, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Nicholls State. Notably, during his tenure as defensive coordinator at Florida State, Kelly guided the Seminoles to the inaugural College Football Playoff and mentored several future NFL talents. citeturn0search14
Shortly after his appointment, Kelly sought to strengthen his coaching staff by hiring Vinnie Sunseri as the defensive coordinator in January 2025. Sunseri, a former safety at the University of Alabama, was part of national championship teams in 2011 and 2012. Following his playing career, which included stints with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, and San Francisco 49ers, Sunseri transitioned into coaching. He served as a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2019 before joining the New England Patriots’ coaching staff, where he held roles as a defensive assistant and running backs coach from 2020 to 2023. In 2024, Sunseri took on the position of safeties coach at the University of Washington. citeturn0search4
However, Sunseri’s tenure at Jacksonville State was brief. By late January 2025, he accepted a position with the University of Florida’s coaching staff as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. citeturn0search5 This unexpected departure left a vacancy in the Gamecocks’ defensive leadership.
In response, Coach Kelly turned to his extensive network and coaching experience to identify a suitable replacement. Reports suggest that Jacksonville State is now considering a former coach with ties to both the University of Georgia and Florida State University for the defensive coordinator role. This candidate’s familiarity with Kelly’s defensive philosophies and prior experience in prominent programs could provide the stability and expertise needed to guide the Gamecocks’ defense in the upcoming season.
These developments underscore the dynamic nature of coaching staffs in college football, where strategic hires are pivotal to a program’s success. As Jacksonville State transitions under Coach Kelly’s leadership, the selection of a new defensive coordinator will be crucial in shaping the team’s defensive identity and overall performance in the forthcoming season.
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