Why Oklahoma Players Call Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley a 'Reincarnation' of Their Head Coach
After two seasons under Ted Roof, Brent Venables and Oklahoma moved on from their former defensive coordinator after the Sooners' 2023 campaign.
To replace the now-UCF DC, OU hired Zac Alley, a former Clemson staffer under Venables and defensive coordinator at Louisiana-Monroe and Jacksonville State.
At his spring media day press conference on Wednesday, Venables spoke about Oklahoma's new linebackers coach and defensive coordinator.
"Just felt like this was the right time for us and continuing to grow as a defense and as a program. Get a guy with some fresh ideas and again a new voice, a new face as we move into the SEC," Venables said.
"I thought this was the right time to do that. And again a guy that will show up with his hair on fire. A lot of energy. A really bright guy. Works well with people. No ego whatsoever. He figures things out. He’s a great teammate and he’s tough as all get out. Really understands offense and understands defense and understands how to take advantage of the players that you have on your roster and built things around that group."
Just 30-years-old, Alley was a graduate assistant under Venables for four seasons at Clemson before moving on to become the linebackers and special teams coach at Boise State.
Following his two years with the Broncos, Alley spent one season at ULM prior to taking the DC job as JSU. After two impressive campaigns with the Gamecocks that saw Jacksonville State allow just 21.2 points per game in 2023 while going 9-4 and earning a bowl victory in their first season as an FBS program, Alley was offered the Sooners' defensive coordinator position.
When news of Alley's hire became official, many compared the coordinator to a young Venables, highlighting how similar the two defensive masterminds are.
Fans and media members aren't the only ones who see similarities between the two coaches, however, as two of OU's newest defensive backs said at spring media availability on Wednesday that the two share many of the same philosophies.
"I think Coach Alley, you know he's a younger guy, but he's very intense," freshman safety Reggie Powers III said. "Very competitive guy, I think he's very smart too. So, he's kind of like a mini Coach Venables, he just wants us to work, is high (intensity). He's not going to let you slack on anything."
Hailing from Dayton, OH, Powers was a 4-star prospect coming out of high school, rated the No. 169 overall player and No. 11 safety in the 2024 recruiting class.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Powers will have the opportunity to showcase his talents to the Sooners' coaching staff during spring practices and potentially earn time on the field this fall.
Powers wasn't the only player who saw similarities between Venables and Alley, however, as San Diego State transfer cornerback Dez Malone also mentioned how similar the two are.
"(Alley)'s great, you know, he's a reincarnation of Coach Brent Venables," Malone said on Wednesday. "When I hear him talk, I think it's BV talking, they sound so similar, its funny. He's great, I love the defense he runs, he also has energy. Everything about it, I think he was a great hire and I'm ready to play for him."
Coming from San Diego State, Malone was a two-time All-Mountain West Honorable Mention selection. Coming in at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Malone provides good size at the cornerback position and should be a valuable member of the Sooners' defensive back rotation as they transition into the SEC.
With the Aztecs, Malone also played under Doug Deakin, who Oklahoma recently hired as it's special team's analyst. Malone added that he texted Deakin when he heard the news and is very confident that the Sooners made a good hire to fix what was an atrocious special teams performance in 2023.
With veteran newcomers and freshman both seeing and identifying the similarities between Venables and Alley, and the two working closely together at Clemson, OU's defense should run much more smoothly in 2024 as the two will likely be on the same page throughout the season.
This will be Alley's first Power 5 job as a defensive coordinator, meaning there is still plenty that the former Clemson graduate assistant will have to prove as the Sooners look to make their mark on the SEC in year one.
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