Completed Event: Football versus Illinois State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 35, to, 3
Final
Football
35
vs Illinois State
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Football
Alley, Zac
Zac Alley
- Title:
- Co-Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
Coaching Notes and Accomplishments
• Named Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach on Jan. 13, 2024, after spending the previous two seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Jacksonville State University and in the same capacity at Louisiana-Monroe in 2021.
• The 30-year-old worked under current OU head coach Brent Venables for four years (2015-18) as a graduate assistant at Clemson when Venables was the Tigers' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. In those four seasons, with Alley working primarily with the defensive tackles and linebackers, Clemson posted a 55-4 (.932) record (tied with Alabama for the nation's best during that span) and won four Atlantic Coast Conference titles and two national championships (2016 and 2018).
• Coordinated a 2023 Jacksonville State defensive unit that ranked 33rd out of 133 teams in scoring defense (21.2 ppg) and 43rd in total defense (352.8 ypg), and that helped the Gamecocks to a 9-4 overall record, a 6-2 Conference USA mark (third place) and New Orleans Bowl win over Louisiana.
• Jax State also ranked fourth in the country in 2023 in opponent yards per rush (2.8), eighth in tackles for loss yardage (414), ninth in turnovers gained (25), 10th in interceptions (16), 12th in opponent yards per play (4.8), 13th in sacks per game (2.9), 15th in rushing defense (111.5 ypg), 17th in tackles for loss per game (7.1), 22nd in opponent third-down conversion percentage (32.7), 24th in opponent fourth-down conversion percentage (41.4), 33rd in pass efficiency defense rating (123.7) and 37th in opponent pass completion percentage (58.5).
• Many of the Gamecocks' 2023 defensive numbers were even more impressive considering the team's high-tempo offense and No. 129 ranking in time of possession (just 26:43 per game). Also, a nation-leading 13 Jacksonville State defenders registered at least one interception on the season.
• In his first year at Jacksonville State in 2022, Alley presided over a stingy defense that helped the Gamecocks amass a 9-2 record and a 5-0 league mark en route to the Atlantic Sun Conference championship. Led by linebackers Stevonte Tullis (first-team all-conference) and Markail Benton, Jax State led the nation with 15 fumble recoveries and boasted the 11th-ranked red zone defense. It gave up 21 or fewer points seven times in 11 games, and 17 or fewer points on six occasions.
• Was the youngest defensive coordinator in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision when he took over at ULM in spring 2021 at the age of 27. A member of 247Sports' "30 Under 30" list, Alley joined the Warhawks after a 0-10 season in 2020 and helped lead them to four victories. Under his direction, the Warhawks improved in virtually every defensive statistical category from the previous season, including going from No. 125 in rushing defense before his arrival to No. 69.
• Prior to ULM, served as Boise State's co-special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach under head coach Bryan Harsin from 2019-20. He helped the Broncos to a 17-4 record in those two seasons, which included a 13-game win streak in Mountain West Conference play. In 2020, FootballScoop.com named Alley one of its special teams coordinators of the year.
• Also served a defensive coaching internship with the NFL's Carolina Panthers in the spring of 2017, assisting the linebackers coach.
• Started working as a student assistant in Clemson's football office as a freshman in 2011 and spent four years in that role, the last three with Venables on staff. He earned his bachelor's degree in business management in December 2014 and earned his master's in human resource development in August 2017.
• Attended his last two years of high school at Charlotte (N.C.) Country Day School and played linebacker and offensive line.
• Named Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach on Jan. 13, 2024, after spending the previous two seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Jacksonville State University and in the same capacity at Louisiana-Monroe in 2021.
• The 30-year-old worked under current OU head coach Brent Venables for four years (2015-18) as a graduate assistant at Clemson when Venables was the Tigers' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. In those four seasons, with Alley working primarily with the defensive tackles and linebackers, Clemson posted a 55-4 (.932) record (tied with Alabama for the nation's best during that span) and won four Atlantic Coast Conference titles and two national championships (2016 and 2018).
• Coordinated a 2023 Jacksonville State defensive unit that ranked 33rd out of 133 teams in scoring defense (21.2 ppg) and 43rd in total defense (352.8 ypg), and that helped the Gamecocks to a 9-4 overall record, a 6-2 Conference USA mark (third place) and New Orleans Bowl win over Louisiana.
• Jax State also ranked fourth in the country in 2023 in opponent yards per rush (2.8), eighth in tackles for loss yardage (414), ninth in turnovers gained (25), 10th in interceptions (16), 12th in opponent yards per play (4.8), 13th in sacks per game (2.9), 15th in rushing defense (111.5 ypg), 17th in tackles for loss per game (7.1), 22nd in opponent third-down conversion percentage (32.7), 24th in opponent fourth-down conversion percentage (41.4), 33rd in pass efficiency defense rating (123.7) and 37th in opponent pass completion percentage (58.5).
• Many of the Gamecocks' 2023 defensive numbers were even more impressive considering the team's high-tempo offense and No. 129 ranking in time of possession (just 26:43 per game). Also, a nation-leading 13 Jacksonville State defenders registered at least one interception on the season.
• In his first year at Jacksonville State in 2022, Alley presided over a stingy defense that helped the Gamecocks amass a 9-2 record and a 5-0 league mark en route to the Atlantic Sun Conference championship. Led by linebackers Stevonte Tullis (first-team all-conference) and Markail Benton, Jax State led the nation with 15 fumble recoveries and boasted the 11th-ranked red zone defense. It gave up 21 or fewer points seven times in 11 games, and 17 or fewer points on six occasions.
• Was the youngest defensive coordinator in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision when he took over at ULM in spring 2021 at the age of 27. A member of 247Sports' "30 Under 30" list, Alley joined the Warhawks after a 0-10 season in 2020 and helped lead them to four victories. Under his direction, the Warhawks improved in virtually every defensive statistical category from the previous season, including going from No. 125 in rushing defense before his arrival to No. 69.
• Prior to ULM, served as Boise State's co-special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach under head coach Bryan Harsin from 2019-20. He helped the Broncos to a 17-4 record in those two seasons, which included a 13-game win streak in Mountain West Conference play. In 2020, FootballScoop.com named Alley one of its special teams coordinators of the year.
• Also served a defensive coaching internship with the NFL's Carolina Panthers in the spring of 2017, assisting the linebackers coach.
• Started working as a student assistant in Clemson's football office as a freshman in 2011 and spent four years in that role, the last three with Venables on staff. He earned his bachelor's degree in business management in December 2014 and earned his master's in human resource development in August 2017.
• Attended his last two years of high school at Charlotte (N.C.) Country Day School and played linebacker and offensive line.
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