Oklahoma officially hired Brent Venables as its new defensive coordinator.
On Saturday, the Sooners announced the hiring of Zac Alley as their new co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Alley most recently served as Jacksonville State’s defensive coordinator for the previous two years. Nine days after Ted Roof and the show amicably parted ways after two seasons together, the official announcement was made.
Alley, 30, a graduate assistant at Jacksonville State who began his career as a student assistant at Clemson, was expected to be hired by Venables, according to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz. This news came just hours after Oklahoma announced that Roof, who had one year left on his three-year contract, would not be returning for the 2024 season. Alley spent eight years at Clemson University.
In a statement, Venables stated, “I’m incredibly excited to welcome Zac to our coaching family here at Oklahoma.” “From a chemical, philosophical, and cultural perspective, he will fit right in. Naturally, there’s a comfort and familiarity because of our shared Clemson experience. He is incredibly tough and hardworking, and by striking out on his own and making a name for himself, he has worked his way up the professional ladder. He is very intelligent, creative, and driven.”
“Our athletes will adore him. He is incredibly self-assured and humble, and he never stops looking for methods to improve. He has experience working with the secondary, coaching linebackers and the defensive line, and winning awards as a special teams coordinator at Boise State. Everywhere he has lived, he has shaped his
Alley worked as a student assistant for four years at Clemson University. In 2011, he began working under defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. Alley served as a student assistant for the next three seasons before joining the team as a graduate assistant from 2015 to 2018, when Venables was brought in to take Steele’s place in 2012. Alley worked with defensive tackles and linebackers while on the Clemson support staff, and the team won two national titles in the College Football Playoffs.
