Former Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts is expected to move to Florida in a similar role as the “executive head coach of the defense,” according to a report from 247Sports.

Auburn will yet again be replacing its coordinators. The 2024 season will be the fifth consecutive season where Auburn has both a new offensive and defensive coordinator. Auburn will have seven offensive coordinators in the last seven years after it fired Philip Montgomery last week. With Roberts’ departure, Auburn will have its fifth defensive coordinator in the last five years.

Here are three potential names to watch as Auburn looks to fill the defensive position.

Charles Kelly

Current position: Undisclosed role with Auburn

Kelly would appear the overwhelming favorite for the job. An elite recruiter, Auburn reportedly hired Kelly before the Music City Bowl, but his hiring has not been officially announced by the school.

Initial reports did not make it clear exactly what title Kelly would have, but the former Colorado defensive coordinator would be an obvious fit for the role at Auburn.

Kelly played at Auburn from 1986-1989. His coaching career has spanned throughout the SEC and the country as a whole, but his only previous coaching experience at Auburn came as a GA in 1993. He was the assistant defensive coordinator at Alabama from 2019-2022.

Kelly’s experience is as a defensive backs coach, which is an instant fit at Auburn as well after reportedly losing secondaries coach Wesley McGriff to Texas A&M.

Kelly is an elite recruiter, having been listed by 247Sports as the primary recruiter on nine five-star recruits including future top-three NFL draft pick Will Anderson and future Pro Bowl selection Josh Sweat.

Kelly is already reportedly in the building. This is Auburn’s easiest choice.

Zach Arnett

Current position: None

Arnett’s only immediate connection to Auburn comes in the form of Athletic Director John Cohen. Cohen left Mississippi State for Auburn before former Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach passed away and before Arnett was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach.

The Bulldogs struggled during Arnett’s one full season at the helm and he was fired after the 2023 season.

But Arnett led some fantastic defenses during his time as a coordinator. A coach with that type of experience and success in that role within the SEC already is going to be an attractive candidate. A familiarity with Auburn’s administration will be helpful.

Tom Allen

Current position: Penn State defensive coordinator

Allen is the biggest Hugh Freeze connection on the list, but his hire would appear the most unlikely.

After seven full seasons as the head coach at Indiana, Allen was fired in November. It only took a few weeks for Allen to find another job, quickly moving to Penn State to take the defensive coordinator job there in early December. Given the timing of that hire, it may not make sense for Allen to leave head coach James Franklin’s program.

But Allen has strong ties to Freeze.

Allen was the associate head coach for Freeze as Lambuth — Freeze’s first head coaching job — from 2008-2009. Freeze brought Allen in the same role to his Arkansas State stop in the 2011 season, Freeze’s one year as the head coach there.

Allen then followed Freeze to Ole Miss where he coached linebackers and special teams from 2012-2014. Former Indiana offensive line coach Darren Hiller is a good friend with both Freeze and Allen, and Hiller is now in Auburn as an analyst.

The two are still close, but the timing may not be right.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]