Zac Alley to be Oklahoma Sooners’ next defensive coordinator per reports
The Oklahoma Sooners mutually parted ways with defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof on Thursday afternoon. But it didn’t take long for the Sooners to zero in on his replacement.
According to multiple reports, including one from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Oklahoma is set to hire Zac Alley as its next defensive coordinator.
Most recently, Alley was the defensive coordinator with Jacksonville State, which ranked 33rd in the nation in scoring defense (21.2 ppg). Jacksonville State ranked 43rd in total yards allowed, 15th in rushing yards allowed and 96th in passing yards allowed in 2023. Jacksonville State defense ranked ninth in turnovers forced (1.9) per game) and 10th in interceptions (1.2) per game.
2023 was Jacksonville State’s first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision and Alley’s defense helped the Gamecocks win nine games.
From 2011 to 2018, Alley was a part of Clemson’s staff as a student assistant and then as a graduate assistant. From there, he coached Boise State’s linebackers in 2019 and 2020 and also served as the co-special teams coordinator.
Prior to working with former West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez at Jacksonville State, the two served under Terry Bowden at Louisiana-Monroe. There, at the age of 27, Alley was the youngest defensive coordinator in FBS in 2021.
Though Alley is young, he has several years of defensive coordinator experience and comes to the Sooners as one of the brightest young talents in the game.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.
