Zac Alley leaving OU football to take over as West Virginia defensive coordinator

Zac Alley leaving OU football to take over as West Virginia defensive coordinator | Report

Posted by author December 28, 2024 Football

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NORMAN — OU football will once again have two new coordinators.

Zac Alley, the Sooners’ defensive coordinator, will leave after just one season in Norman to become the defensive coordinator at West Virginia, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Saturday.

After the Sooners’ 21-20 loss to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday, with the rumors Alley could be heading to West Virginia percolating, Alley talked hopefully about the future of OU’s defense but didn’t exactly say he was 100% committed to returning.

“Every year, there’s going to be something that comes up with jobs and whatnot, man, but I’m just excited about our team,” Alley said in a postgame radio interview. “I think coming back next season, we’re going to have a great opportunity to be successful, be a top defense in the country, and hopefully we got some young guys who can come along to help us do that.”

Alley was not made available to the media outside of OU’s radio crew following the game.

Alley is under contract for two more seasons and would owe a buyout of $315,000 for accepting the West Virginia job.

The three-year deal at OU paid Alley $850,000 this season with $50,000 raises annually in each of the next two seasons.

The Sooners’ defense took a significant step forward under Alley this season, as OU finished the regular season 21st in total defense, allowing just 318.3 yards per game, and 34th in scoring defense, allowing just 21.6 points per game.

At OU, Alley reunited with Brent Venables, who he worked with as both a student assistant and graduate assistant at Clemson from 2011-18.

But while Alley was the defensive play caller, he shared the co-defensive coordinator title with Todd Bates and Jay Valai.

At West Virginia, Alley reunites with Rich Rodriguez, who was hired recently for his second stint as the Mountaineers’ head coach.

Rodriguez and Alley first worked together at Louisiana-Monroe in 2021 while Rodriguez was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and Alley the defensive coordinator.

When Rodriguez left to take over as Jacksonville State’s head coach, he brought Alley with him to serve as defensive coordinator there.

After two successful seasons there, Alley came to OU to replace Ted Roof as the Sooners’ defensive play caller and linebackers coach.

Venables said Thursday that he felt good about the future of the Sooners’ defense and expected to build around the roster as is instead of adding many — or any — players in the transfer portal on that side of the ball.

Now, the Sooners are left searching for a defensive coordinator just weeks after hiring Washington State’s Ben Arbuckle to replace Seth Littrell, who was fired in the middle of the season.

Thursday, it was reported that the Mountaineers would hire William Green to coach the defensive line, adding more smoke to the rumors of Alley’s departure.