Hot board: Names to monitor to replace Ron Roberts as Auburn football DC

AUBURN — The coaching carousel continues to turn, and Auburn football isn't off the ride just yet.

Not only are the Tigers looking to add a new offensive coordinator following the firing of Philip Montgomery on Friday, they're also now in the market for a new defensive coordinator after it was reported by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports that Ron Roberts is expected to leave for a job at Florida on Monday.

Roberts spent one season on the Plains, helping the Tigers to the nation's No. 45 defense in terms of yards surrendered per game (357.2) and the No. 41 unit in points given up (22.6).

Here are a handful of potential candidates that coach Hugh Freeze may consider. They are listed in alphabetical order:

SILVA: How Hugh Freeze's choice for Auburn football OC will show glimpse into his mind

YEAR 1: Hugh Freeze's first season at Auburn football is over. What's a fair grade for him?

Josh Aldridge, Auburn

An in-house hire who's been with Freeze since 2019, Josh Aldridge spent his first year on the Plains coaching Auburn's linebackers. It was a unit that became a solid strength for the Tigers, featuring a two-deep rotation that included Eugene Asante, Austin Keys, Larry Nixon III and Cam Riley. Aldridge also stuck out as a recruiter, helping Auburn land prospects such as Demarcus Riddick, Joseph Phillips and Amaris Williams, among others.

Aldridge served as the defensive line coach under Freeze at Liberty from 2019-21. He became the co-DC/LBs coach in 2022 and was the interim coach for the Flames after Freeze left for Auburn. Other stops in Aldridge's career include various roles at Lindenwood (2013), Ouachita Baptist (2013), West Georgia (2014-17) and Lenoir–Rhyne (2018).

Tom Allen, Penn State

Freeze and former Indiana coach Tom Allen go back to their time together at Lambuth from 2008-09, when Freeze was the coach of the Eagles and Allen was the associate head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers coach. Freeze brought Allen with him to Arkansas State in 2011 and Ole Miss from 2012-14.

The duo split when Allen got the DC job at South Florida, which later led to him landing with the Hoosiers. Allen, before getting fired in November, compiled a 33-49 record at Indiana. He was hired by coach James Franklin on Dec. 19 to replace Manny Diaz as Penn State's DC.

Zach Arnett, formerly Mississippi State

If Freeze wants someone with SEC experience, here's the choice. Zach Arnett was hired by the late Mike Leach in 2020 to be Mississippi State's defensive coordinator, and Arnett led the Bulldogs to a top-five unit in the SEC for the next three seasons.

Arnett, who took over as coach at Mississippi State after Leach died in December 2022, went 4-6 in 2023 and was fired before his first season in charge came to a close. Arnett got his collegiate coaching start as a graduate assistant at San Diego State in 2011, and he worked his way up to DC before leaving for the Bulldogs.

Charles Kelly, Auburn/Colorado

After spending one season as the defensive coordinator at Colorado under coach Deion Sanders, former Alabama coach Charles Kelly has reportedly left the Buffaloes in favor of joining the Tigers. Known as one of the best acquirers of talent in the country, Kelly was tabbed by 247Sports as the No. 1 recruiter in the Class of 2023.

Kelly, a former defensive back at Auburn from 1986-89, helped the Crimson Tide land a trio of five-star prospects in 2023: Caleb Downs, James Smith and Qua Russaw. He also previously played a part in the Crimson Tide getting Will Anderson, who was drafted by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft

Travaris Robinson, Alabama

Another former Auburn player, Travaris Robinson had a cup of coffee in the NFL that included stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the early 2000s. Robinson became a graduate assistant at his alma mater from 2006-07 and has worked his way up through the industry with eight different programs.

Robinson's SEC experience, aside from his time at Auburn that also included a return in 2015, includes time at Florida (2011-14), South Carolina (2016-20) and Alabama, where he's been the Crimson Tide's cornerbacks coach since 2022.

Travis Williams, Arkansas

It would be a lateral move for Travis Williams, but he'd get to come home. Also someone who was on the Plains as a player, Williams spent the 2007 season with the Falcons before returning to Auburn as a graduate assistant in 2009. He left for two seasons before coming back to the Tigers and staying with them from 2014-20, holding roles that ranged from defensive assistant to co-DC.

Williams was hired by former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to be the defensive coordinator at Central Florida from 2021-22. He then opted to get back into the SEC and became the DC at Arkansas last offseason.

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football DC hot board: Names to replace Ron Roberts