Oklahoma Announces Jay Valai as Cornerbacks Coach
Brent Venables has filled out his first defensive staff at Oklahoma.
On Tuesday, the Sooners announced the hiring of Alabama coach Jay Valai to coach the cornerbacks in Norman.
"Jay is one of the up-and-coming coaches in college football," Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said in the press release announcing Valai's hiring. "He brings a tremendous amount of passion and energy to the job, as well as a real love for the game and for relationship-building. He's experienced the game collegiately at the highest level as a player at Wisconsin and has gained terrific coaching experience on the NFL and college levels."
Valai said he's looking forward to linking back up with Venables, someone he said has the same mindset as him schematically when it comes to defensive philosophy.
"Coach Venables and I met on the road recruiting years ago and he has always been awesome to me as a mentor," Valai said in the press release. "We both love football so much and I've loved talking about the nuances of the game with him. Just going back and forth with ideas and thoughts, scheme adjustments and so on.
"We just really clicked. But I also really admire his passion. That's one thing you can't hide in life, and Coach Venables is one of the most passionate and authentic human beings you could ever meet."
The Euless, TX, native played at Wisconsin from 2006-2010 before working at a sports performance facility training athletes in both the NBA and NFL.
His first coaching job was at Georgia, where he served as a defensive quality control coach in 2016 and 2017.
Valai then had a one-year stay with the Kansas City Chiefs as a quality control assistant before landing the cornerback coaching job at Rutgers in 2019.
Jay Valai as a player at Wisconsin in 2010
Kirby Lee-Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
In 2020, Valai made the jump to take the same position at Texas before spending 2021 as the cornerbacks coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
"Alabama has been awesome and Nick Saban is the G.O.A.T.," Valai said. "I learned so much working under him and we have a tremendous relationship. He and Miss Terry have been amazing to my family and me.
"But to get the opportunity to be closer to home working for an Oklahoma program I grew up watching while living in Dallas and to work with Brent and be a cook in the kitchen with him is special. I'm excited. It's beyond a blessing to be part of Sooner Nation."
Valai will bring great recruiting connections from Texas to Venables’ coaching staff, a nice addition to a staff which will look to be a formable unit on the recruiting trail.
Venables said Valai has coaching acumen beyond his years, and he's excited to able to fill out his staff with the former Badger.
"He loves his craft and is mature beyond his years regarding X's and O's and the teaching of all defensive positions," Venables said. "I've just been drawn to his thirst for knowledge and his great sense of humility. He asked me if I minded serving as one of his mentors and I was just honored.
"Loved his hunger and toughness and how he had a good edge about him. We set time aside to clinic on the phone or even in person, and would also talk a lot about people, relationships and things like that. A lot of our values aligned as husbands and fathers, and certainly as coaches in this profession."
Valai and his wife, Courtney, have two daughters, Jayla and Kenzlie, and a son, Jaxon.
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