Charles Wilford joined the Georgia State football coaching staff in January 2025 as the safeties coach.
CJ Wilford is an accomplished defensive backs coach with a proven track record of developing elite secondary talent and contributing to championship-level defenses across multiple programs. He has served on staffs at Florida, Louisiana, and Southern Utah, earning a reputation for his player-first approach and teaching precision.
Before joining the Panthers staff, Wilford served as the quality control coach at the University of Florida for three seasons (2022-24).
Wilford joined the Florida Gators staff in 2022 as a defensive analyst, working closely with the secondary and contributing to game planning, opponent scouting, and player development. His detailed approach and impact behind the scenes quickly earned him a promotion, and he was elevated to safeties coach for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Wilford helped mentor a young and dynamic Gators secondary highlighted by Jordan Castell, who was named a Freshman All-American and earned national recognition as both the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week and Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week following Florida’s 2023 win over No. 11 Tennessee. He also coached Trikweze Bridges, who capped off his collegiate career by being selected in the 7th round of the NFL Draft, adding to Wilford’s growing list of professional defensive-back pupils.
While at Florida, Wilford worked under Ron Roberts and Patrick Toney, two of the most respected defensive minds in college football, further sharpening his schematic knowledge and teaching detail. Under their leadership, Wilford helped the Gators’ secondary develop a strong identity built on communication, physicality, and disciplined coverage, producing multiple breakout performances in SEC play.
Before moving to the SEC, Wilford served as the defensive backs analyst at Louisiana from 2019-21.
During his three-year tenure at Louisiana, Wilford was part of one of the most successful runs in Ragin’ Cajuns history, including three consecutive double-digit-win seasons and a 2021 Sun Belt Championship.
He developed standout safety Percy Butler, a 2021 Second-Team All-Sun Belt selection and 2022 NFL Draft pick of the Washington Commanders, and Trey Amos, who emerged as one of the conference’s top young cornerbacks before transferring to Ole Miss.
Wilford also worked closely with Eric Garror, one of the Sun Belt’s premier cornerbacks and return specialists, and Kam Pedescleaux, a versatile defensive back who earned one of the highest PFF coverage grades among Sun Belt safeties in 2021, reflecting his consistency and range on the back end. He also helped develop Mekhi Garner, who became an All-Sun Belt cornerback and future NFL prospect.
The Cajuns’ defenses during that period ranked among the nation’s best in turnover margin and scoring defense, serving as the foundation of the program’s rise to national prominence.
Wilford began his collegiate coaching career at Southern Utah University as a Student Assistant in 2017 & 2018, where he contributed to the Thunderbirds’ 2017 Big Sky Championship and FCS Playoff appearance.
In 2018, Wilford became the youngest Division I position coach in the country, a distinction that underscored his rapid rise in the coaching ranks. His early work with the secondary helped shape a unit known for its aggressive style, takeaways, and consistency in critical situations.
Wilford is originally from Moorpark, California. His father Ron Wilford is the long time well respected Defensive Coordinator at various high schools in the Ventura County Area.
