Brent Venables' search for his next defensive coordinator at Oklahoma might not have to go beyond Norman.
Former OU co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Zac Alley on Sunday was announced as the new assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at West Virginia. Alley will serve under Rich Rodriguez, who was Alley's boss at Jacksonville State.
This will be the second time this offseason Venables will have to replace a coordinator on his staff. He fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell during the season and went all the way to Washington State to find his new offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle.
But this coaching search might not extend as far. There are multiple reasons why Venables might not look outside his current staff to find his next defensive coordinator.
Venables is a defensive-minded coach who will have his hand in that side of the ball and want certain things done a certain way. There are beliefs that's why Alley took a new job at a lower-level program after only one season at OU. Those already on his staff already know what Venables wants.
The clock is also ticking for Venables' time at OU. He'll enter 2025 on the hot seat, and without a drastic turnaround, Venables and everyone with him could be without a job next year.
Hiring within could also help maintain the defensive talent that the Sooners have managed to keep for the most part so far.
Those reasons could force Venables to look inward to find a defensive coordinator replacement, but if that is the case, OU has the men for that to be a viable option.
Todd Bates
Todd Bates actually already has the title of co-defensive coordinator, as well as associate head coach and defensive tackles coach. Obviously Venables already has a lot of trust in Bates.
That trust has been built over eight years of working together. Bates first joined Venables' staff as a defensive line coach when Venables was the defensive coordinator at Clemson. He then eventually followed Venables to Oklahoma in 2022 and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator.
Brandon Hall
Brandon Hall hasn't had the coordinator title under Venables yet but has the most experience on the defensive staff.
Hall has been coaching safeties for the Sooners since 2022. Before that, he was a defensive coordinator at Troy and Jacksonville State for a combined seven seasons. He even served as interim head coach at Troy right before getting to Oklahoma.
Hall and Venables also go way back, too. Hall served as a student assistant, graduate assistant and defensive quality control coach under Venables between 1999 and 2005 when Venables was the defensive coordinator at OU.
Jay Valai
Like Bates, Jay Valai also already has the title of co-defensive coordinator. He's also the assistant head coach for defense and cornerbacks and nickelbacks coach.
Valai has also had stops at Georgia, the Kansas City Chiefs, Rutgers, Texas and Alabama either as a defensive quality control coach or cornerbacks coach.