Nick Saban is expected to add Tennessee special teams and safeties coach Charles Kelly to his staff, BamaOnLine has learned.

Kelly recently turned down the Maryland defensive coordinator position under Mike Locksley to remain with the Volunteers.

It’s not clear in what role Kelly will serve with the Crimson Tide, but he has a lengthy history on the defensive side of the ball.

Kelly was in his first season with the Vols having five seasons (2013-17) at Florida State. He was the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for the Seminoles in 2013 before spending the next four seasons as their defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Florida State signed Kelly to a five-year deal after the 2015 season and was due an annual salary of $883,000 over its final three seasons when Florida State changed coaching staffs after the 2017 season.

His 2018 salary of $325,000 at Tennessee suggests Kelly, who was on a two-year deal through January 2020 with the Vols, was still getting buyout money from the Seminoles.

Prior to his time in Tallahassee, Kelly spent several years at Georgia Tech in various roles from special teams coach, defensive backs coach and interim defensive coordinator in 2012.

The Ozark, Ala. native, who played his college ball at Auburn, has coached first rounders like Jalen Ramsey and Derwin James along with many other NFL Draft picks.

Kelly got his start in coaching in the state of Alabama in 1990 at Central High School in Tuscaloosa.

The news of Kelly’s expected hire comes after BamaOnLine reported on Friday that the Tide would be adding Florida defensive line coach Sal Sunseri and former Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood to its staff. The Tide has seen five assistant coaches leave the program this offseason -- Locksley (Maryland), Brent Key (Georgia Tech), Josh Gattis (Michigan), Dan Enos (Miami) and Tosh Lupoi (Browns).

Stay tuned to BamaOnLine for more details on this breaking story.