Secondary Coach Assumes Coordinator Job

Earlier this summer, head football coach Norries Wilson promoted secondary coach Aaron Kelton to defensive coordinator after Lou Ferrari left the team for personal reasons.

Ferrari joined Columbia as defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach in 2006, and the defense that year led the Ivy League in scoring and fewest points allowed per game. The Lions’ swarming defense held every opponent under 30 points and helped the Lions reach a .500 record for the first time since 1996. Last season some cracks in the defense were exposed, as Columbia allowed an average of 230 yards rushing yards per game and gave up the second most points in the Ancient Eight.

By leaving in July, Ferrari put Columbia in a tight situation. With a little over a month before camp, Wilson had to promote from within. Though Kelton served as secondary coach for the past two seasons, he has experience running a defense.

He came to Columbia after serving for five years as the defensive coordinator at Virginia State, where he had also coached the linebackers for four years and the secondary for one.

Under Kelton’s guide, the Light Blue secondary limited opponents to 169 yards through the air per game, while recording 11 interceptions last season. Though most of Columbia’s opponents chose to attack the Lions’ weak run defense—there were only 250 pass attempts during the season—Columbia allowed the fewest passing yards per game in the league.

Kelton received an opportunity to coach in the NFL as part of an internship, and he spent time with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars in July and August of 2007.

Since Ferrari coached the linebackers in addition to his job as defensive coordinator, Wilson also promoted part-time linebackers coach Greg Sigler to a full-time position. Kelton will continue to coach the secondary along with his new responsibilities as defensive coordinator.