Report: Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley Leaving for Different Job

Under Zac Alley, the Sooners finished 19th in the nation in total defense in 2024, but now he'll depart for a different job.

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A month after Oklahoma hired a new offensive coordinator, the Sooners will now be on the lookout for a new defensive coordinator.

OU defensive coordinator Zac Alley will take the same role at West Virginia, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Alley’s deal at West Virginia will be for three years, per Thamel.

Sources: West Virginia is finalizing a three-year deal to make Zac Alley the school’s new defensive coordinator. He’s been the DC at Oklahoma and worked for Rich Rodriguez as DC at Jacksonville State.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 28, 2024

Alley arrived in Norman in 2024 after spending two seasons (2022 and 2023) at Jacksonville State under head coach Rich Rodriguez.

Rodriguez recently took the head coaching job at West Virginia, and Alley will reunite with his former boss in Morgantown.

This report comes a day after Oklahoma lost 21-20 to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. The loss clinched the second losing season in three years under coach Brent Venables.

After the game, Alley seemed confident that he’d be staying in Norman.

“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 on OU’s postgame broadcast. “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.”

Under Alley, the Sooners were strong, for the most part, defensively.

Oklahoma finished the regular season 19th in the nation in total defense, allowing 318.2 total yards per game. The Sooners also held opponents to just 21.5 points per game in their 12 regular season contests.

Alley, 30 years old, has served as a defensive coordinator at the NCAA Division I FBS level since 2021. After stints at Clemson and Boise State as position coaches, Alley became the youngest defensive coordinator at the FBS level in 2021 before joining the Jacksonville State staff in 2022.

During his time with the Gamecocks, Alley oversaw a stout run defense that allowed only 2.8 yards per carry to opposing backs. He continued that trend during his one season in Norman, allowing just 105.7 rushing yards per game, which was 11th in the nation.

OU finished the 2024 season 6-7 (2-6 SEC) after losing to Navy in its bowl game.