OU defensive coordinator hot board: Who replaces Zac Alley?

Alley is supposedly set to depart Norman after just one season calling the defensive plays for head coach Brent Venables, his longtime mentor at Clemson from 2012-18. Alley is said to be taking a three-year deal to reunite with Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez, his boss at Jacksonville State from 2022-23.

There are somewhat logical reasons why the 31-year-old Alley could be making the move. He may feel like the WVU gig gives him the opportunity to have more control over a defense and run it how he wants to. He also may see the writing on the wall — that Venables’ time at OU may be short following his second 6-7 season in three years as the Sooners’ head coach.

Whatever the case, it leaves Venables in the position of replacing both his coordinators for the second consecutive offseason. New offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle was already hired to replace Seth Littrell, who failed miserably in replacing Jeff Lebby. Alley replaced the fired Ted Roof as DC and Venables will now be searching for Alley’s replacement.

Who are some potential names to know in OU’s defensive coordinator search? Here’s the Tulsa World hot board:

Before Venables quickly zeroed in on Alley during his last search, there was the idea that one of the defensive coaches already on his staff could be promoted to replace Roof. Those three candidates are still viable in replacing Alley. Safeties coach Hall would be best suited among them, as he was previously a defensive coordinator at Jacksonville State and Troy. But defensive tackles coach Bates and cornerbacks coach Valai already have co-defensive coordinator in their titles and could see themselves as ready to call plays.

A personal favorite of Tulsa World sports columnist Berry Tramel, the Colorado defensive coordinator has completely flipped the script during his first year in Boulder. The Buffaloes’ defense ranked 130th nationally in total defense (453.3 yards allowed per game) in 2023, prior to his arrival. The unit drastically improved to 52nd (353.7 yards allowed per game) in 2024.

The fired Purdue head coach recently signed on to be the new defensive coordinator at Washington, replacing Steve Belichick, who left to join his father Bill Belichick at North Carolina. Before his 5-19 performance as the Boilermakers head coach, Walters was a successful DC at Missouri and Illinois. Walters was also an OU graduate assistant back in 2012. Perhaps he could be pried away from Seattle for a return to the Sooner State?

OU fans’ pain might be eased a little if Venables was able to fill his vacancy by gut punching Lincoln Riley in the process. Lynn, in his first season as USC’s defensive coordinator, helped the Trojans improve from 119th in 2023 to 77th in 2024.

Venables’ successor as Clemson’s defensive coordinator upon his return to OU in late 2021, Goodwin commanded a top-30 defense in 2022 and the nation’s eighth-best unit in 2023. The Tigers bottomed out in 2024, though, ranking 69th nationally in total defense. There’s some conjecture around Clemson that Goodwin could be headed out the door, which would in turn make him available for the Sooners.

Venables has always liked Heacock’s defense; while at Clemson, he and his staff made a trip to Iowa State to learn from the Cyclones’ DC. But, pulling Heacock away from Ames after a highly successful 2024 season for ISU — and a miserable year for OU — seems highly unlikely.

This is Venables’ opportunity to do again what he didn’t do with Littrell and what he corrected with Arbuckle — go out and hire the best available. There aren’t many better defensive coordinators in the country right now than Pete Golding, who took Ole Miss from 70th in total defense in 2023 to 16th in 2024.

The first-year Michigan State defensive coordinator could be a name to watch. Rossi had stints as the DC at Minnesota and Rutgers before landing in East Lansing. His Spartans defense was just outside the top 30 in the country for 2024.

Venables and the Stoops brothers obviously go way back at Kansas State and Oklahoma. What are the chances that Mark Stoops, who just finished his 12th season at Kentucky with a 4-8 record, may be exhausted with the rigors of being a competitive head coach in the modern age of college football and just wants to be a DC again? This is a fascinating possibility.

Then there’s Mike Stoops, currently Kentucky’s inside linebackers coach, who could have the desire to call a defense again, or perhaps to leave OU’s better than he left it when Lincoln Riley fired him in 2018. Mike Stoops and Venables were Bob Stoops’ Sooner co-coordinators from 1999-2003.

The Georgia DC is on this list because he’s one of the best at his job in college football. That being said, there is little to no chance he is the next defensive coordinator at OU.

It’s another situation similar to Mark Stoops: Brey, the Oregon State head coach who was the DC before that, finds himself in a tough position as long as the Beavers remain without a power conference home.

Here’s another sitting head coach, at North Carolina State, who may want out as his program falls behind in the transfer portal and name, image and likeness era.

The Virginia Tech head coach, who enters 2025 on the hot seat, can be looped right in with Mark Stoops, Bray and Doeren.

Now this would be a twist. The Navy head coach just led his Midshipmen to a 21-20 Armed Forces Bowl victory over the Sooners on Friday. The loss may have just sealed Alley’s departure from Oklahoma. It’s hard to see Newberry leaving Annapolis after a 10-3 campaign, but he is a Westmoore High School graduate and lifelong OU fan. Maybe the opportunity to coach for the Sooners, regardless of the program’s present dire straits, still appeals to him. Moreover, could he be Venables’ successor as Oklahoma head coach if 2025 is as bad or worse than 2024?

The former Northwestern head coach is a highly regarded defensive mind. He has spent the past two years since his firing as a high school assistant at Loyola Academy in Chicago.