Charlton Warren

Charlton Warren enters his second season as Nebraska's secondary coach under first-year Head Coach Mike Riley in 2015. Before coming to Nebraska, Warren spent the previous nine seasons working with the secondary at Air Force, including serving as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator in each of his final six seasons.

Warren’s secondary impressed in his first season, helping the Huskers rank fifth nationally in pass efficiency defense and 32nd in passing yards allowed. Nebraska ranked second nationally by holding opponents to a 48.5 completion rate, limiting its opponent to a 50-percent completion rate or less in nine of 13 games. The Huskers also allowed an average of only 6.1 yards per passing attempt to rank 13th nationally, and the 15 touchdown passes Nebraska surrendered ranked 19th in the country.

Individually, sophomore safety Nate Gerry - who worked at linebacker as a true freshman in 2013 - excelled under Warren’s watch. An All-Big Ten honoree, Gerry led the conference with five interceptions in Big Ten play. In addition to leading NU with five picks, Gerry ranked second on the team with 88 tackles and two forced fumbles, and he added seven TFLs and a half sack. Corey Cooper ranked one spot behind Gerry with 73 tackles and Cooper intercepted one pass. At cornerback, Josh Mitchell tallied 39 tackles with a team-high 13 pass breakups, which tied for the seventh-highest total in school history. Opposite Mitchell, first-year starter Daniel Davie recorded 41 stops with two interceptions.

Warren’s secondary combined for 309 tackles in 2014 with 10 interceptions and 34 pass breakups, an impressive total for a unit that featured four first-year secondary players. Warren’s group also scored two defensive touchdowns in 2014.

Before arriving in Lincoln, Warren spent nine seasons coaching at Air Force, working directly with the defensive backs all nine years with the Falcons. Warren has also earned a reputation as the Falcons’ top recruiter and coordinated Air Force’s recruiting efforts for six seasons from 2006 to 2011.

Air Force’s secondary was a strong point for the Falcon defense during Warren’s time in Colorado Springs. The Air Force pass defense often ranked among the best in the country, helping the Falcons to six bowl games in Warren’s nine seasons as an assistant coach.

In 2011, the Air Force pass defense ranked third in passing yards allowed per game at 166.8 yards per game and sixth in the country in pass efficiency defense. In 2010, the Falcon secondary was even better, ranking second nationally by allowing just 147.8 passing yards per game. The play of the defensive backfield helped Air Force to a 9-4 record, capped by a victory over Georgia Tech in the Independence Bowl.

The 2009 defense also excelled against the pass under Warren’s direction, helping the team to a trip to the Armed Forces Bowl. Air Force ranked seventh nationally with 20 interceptions, helping the team lead the nation in turnover margin. The 2009 Falcons also ranked in the top 20 nationally in passing yards allowed (fifth), total defense (11^th) and pass efficiency defense (17^th).

Warren was also a member of the Air Force staff for 2007 and 2008 trips to the Armed Forces Bowl, when the Falcons posted 9-4 and 8-5 records, respectively.

Individually, several Falcon defenders excelled under Warren’s direction. Air Force produced a first-team All-Mountain West defensive back for three straight years from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, Reggie Rembert capped an outstanding career, earning first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and third-team All-America honors from the Associated Press. Rembert was also a two-time first-team all-conference pick and was selected as the NFLPA Service Academy Player of the Year in 2010. 

Anthony Wright was a second-team all-conference pick in 2011 and finished his career with 12 interceptions to rank fourth in Air Force history. Chris Thomas also excelled under Warren’s coaching, earning all-conference honors three times and ranking among the school’s all-time leaders in tackles and interceptions. Warren also coached Carson Bird to first-team all-conference and All-America honors in 2007.

In addition to his nine seasons of experience at Air Force, Warren was selected by the Houston Texans to participate in the NFL’s minority internship program in 2007. Warren spent time in training camp with the Texans, and took part in defensive and special teams sessions.

Warren graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in human factors engineering. He was a standout defensive back for the Falcons earning three letters. Warren won the team’s Mr. Intensity Award as a senior, and helped the program to consecutive 10-win seasons in 1997 and 1998, including a 12-1 record and outright conference title in 1998.

Following his college career, Warren performed his active service as a systems acquisitions program manager at both Warner Robbins AFB in Georgia and Elgin Air Force Base in Florida. Warren earned his MBA from Georgia College and State University in 2003.

An Atlanta native, Warren and his wife Jocelyn, have two daughters, Jayree and Teya, and a son, Chase.

Warren Profile          
Coaching Experience
2014: Nebraska, Assistant Coach (Secondary)
2012-13: Air Force, Assistant Coach (Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Secondary)
2008-11: Air Force, Assistant Coach (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary/Recruiting Coordinator)
2005-07: Air Force, Assistant Coach (Secondary/Recruiting Coordinator)

Playing Experience
1995-98: Air Force Academy (Defensive Back)

Personal
Education: Bachelor’s in Human Factors Engineering, Air Force, 1999; MBA, Georgia College and State University, 2003
Family: Wife, Jocelyn; Children, Jayree, Teya, Chase

Warren Career Highlights

• Helped Nebraska defense rank second nationally in opponent completion percentage and fifth in pass efficiency defense in 2014
• Coached three Nebraska defensive backs to All-Big Ten honors in 2014, including second-team safety Nate Gerry
• Coached in seven bowl games in 10 seasons as a college assistant coach
• Air Force produced a first-team All-Mountain West defensive back for three straight seasons from 2009 to 2011, including Reggie Rembert who earned first-team All-America honors in 2010
• 2011 Air Force defense ranked third in passing yards allowed and sixth in pass efficiency defense
• Air Force was second in the nation in passing yards allowed in 2010, allowing just 147.8 yards per game
• The 2009 Air Force defense ranked in the top 20 nationally in passing yards allowed, total defense and pass efficiency defense
• Participated in Houston Texans’ NFL minority internship program in 2007