How Zac Alley ascended the coaching ranks, becoming a ‘Brent Venables clone’
While a student at Clemson, during fall and winter break, Zac Alley often spent his time in Bob Witman’s office at Charlotte Country Day School.
Alley, a student assistant coach for the Clemson football team at the time, would return to his high school to sit down with his former head coach to talk football. The two spent hours in Witman’s office — Alley on the whiteboard as the teacher and Witman watching intently as the student.
“I loved to pick his brain about what kind of stuff Clemson was doing,” said Witman, now retired in Charlotte. “We’d sit in the office and he’d get on the whiteboard and draw some cutting-edge stuff. Not that we were advanced enough to use it all, but you could tell he knew it inside out. He knew the quarterbacks to the d-tackles to the fronts to the coverages — he was all over it. That’s not common. It was remarkable to watch.”
Alley has since become one of the most coveted young coaches in college football, ascending through the coaching ranks. And at 30 years old, he’s expected to become the next defensive coordinator at Oklahoma, rejoining his old Clemson mentor Brent Venables in Norman.
He spent eight seasons (2011-2018) at Clemson — four as a student assistant and four as a graduate assistant — before becoming the linebackers coach at Boise State in 2019. After two years with the Broncos, he was hired as Louisiana Monroe’s defensive coordinator at just 28 years old in 2021. And the last two years he’s been the defensive coordinator at Jacksonville State where he helped turn around one of the worst defensive units in college football.
All along the way, Alley has kept his Clemson roots. He’s replicated Venables’ defense at each of his stops, growing into a younger version of the coach who was one of the first to see Alley’s potential in the profession.
“The tutelage he had under Venables is where it starts. Coach Venables, I think, is the best defensive coordinator ever,” said Eric Mac Lain, who played offensive line for Clemson from 2011-2015 and is a close friend of Alley’s. “It was horrible going against that guy in practice every day just because of the schemes and all that. And Zac was there for all of that. So I think it’s that glorified internship that he had for so many years that prepared him for this opportunity. There’s no question, when you talk to him, the things he sees, the way he dials things up — it’s incredible.
“He’s essentially a Brent Venables clone.”
That’s what makes this maybe the perfect hire for Venables and Oklahoma. As he enters his third season leading the Sooners, Venables is still looking for ways to improve as a head coach. He has to with the SEC on the horizon in 2024.
Maybe the biggest question surrounding Venables during his first two years in Norman has been his ability to manage all the responsibilities that come with being a head coach. This past season, in addition to being the head coach, he was the defensive playcaller. And the defense saw tremendous growth because of it. But how long is that sustainable?
Venables knows to have a successful program, at some point, he has to step away as the defensive playcaller. That’s why he parted ways with Ted Roof, opting instead for someone he believes can run his defense without him having to insert himself. The best head coaches in college football are often ones who not only allow their assistants to call plays, but trust them to scheme, game plan and recruit on their own. Look at Nick Saban at Alabama, Kirby Smart at Georgia and Jim Harbaugh at Michigan — each have hired bright coordinators that allow them to focus on being a head coach.
That’s what Venables believes Alley can be for the Sooners. Some may wonder about his age and experience, but according to those who have seen him work, they believe he’s more than ready for the job. And no one knows better than Venables, who has the ultimate faith in his former protege.
“He’s one you knew, with the way he worked and how smart he was, that he would have success in our profession,” said Dan Brooks, who coached the defensive line at Clemson from 2009-2016. “He was a tireless worker and really a bright young guy. I don’t know how he went to school and was there as much as he was. He was right there, attached at the hip with coach Brent the whole time. So, I’m sure that’s a comfort zone for (Venables), bringing a guy in who knows his defense and how he works. It really is the perfect hire.”
‘What did he not do?’
Zac Alley listens to Charlotte Country Day School coach Bob Witman during a game in 2010. Photo courtesy of CCDS.
Alley has always been a football guru, growing up around the game.
He was a standout high school player, starting at center and linebacker for Charlotte Country Day School. He helped them win a state championship his senior year in 2010, serving as team captain. Maybe more than anything though, he had a feel for the game that few have at that age. Witman said Alley often advised the coaching staff on schemes and plays, which is a rarity at that level.
“He wasn’t an extremely great athlete. He wasn’t fast or super athletic. But he was tough and tenacious,” said Witman, who won eight state championships in his 35 years as a head coach. “Played with his heart. He was a tremendous competitor. He was tough as nails. Probably the smartest kid I’ve ever coached. He ran that offensive line, understood blocking schemes. He was a coach on the field. And he just had a knack for understanding the game and making the calls, even coming up with suggestions on blocking schemes. Just a different kid in that regard.
“He was a model player. A coach couldn’t ask for anyone more dedicated. Zac absolutely loved the game of football.”
That passion led Alley to wanting to coach at Clemson. Alley got his foot in the door at Clemson thanks to his dad. His father is Kendall Alley, who was a wide receiver on the 1981 Clemson team that won the national title.
But it didn’t take long for Alley to prove to the Clemson coaching staff he was more than just the son of a program legend. He particularly impressed Venables, who took over the Tiger defense in 2012, Alley’s sophomore year. For the next seven seasons, Alley essentially served as Venables’ personal assistant coach.
Alley with his parents in 2010. Photo courtesy of CCDS.
“What did he not do? That’s the question,” Brooks said. “He did everything, from film breakdowns to helping prep for practice. He would stay with Brent in his office late at night to help with the game plan and call sheets. And he was a very organized guy that whenever Brent needed something, he knew where it was right away. There wasn’t much he didn’t do from a football standpoint. He was heavily involved in our day-to-day operations as a staff, even as just a student.”
Alley not only quickly earned the respect and trust of the coaching staff, but also the players. That’s not always an easy thing to do for a student assistant, especially one who didn’t play at the collegiate level. And when Alley was hired as a GA in 2016, that was a clear indicator that he was well thought of among his peers, as those jobs often go to former players.
Alley helped Clemson win two national titles during eight years on the coaching staff. And while his title might not have been the biggest, ask anyone on those teams and they’ll tell you the significant role he played in the Tigers’ success.
“It’s always interesting when guys are student coaches because it’s like, what do you do? And man, he did everything,” said Mac Lain, now an analyst for the ACC Network. “The film that dude would watch, the tapes he would cut, labeling all the things, practice preparation, game plans — all kinds of stuff. The dude was just a grinder. I just remember him doing whatever it took.
“He didn’t play at the college level and I think there are so many people that just think, ‘Well, if you didn’t play, you can’t get in the industry.’ I mean, he grinded hard for so many years. And you could just see the responsibilities and the trust just increase from coach Venables.”
‘A lot of energy’
Photo by Brandon Phillips courtesy of Jacksonville State.
But Alley knew he had to eventually move out from under Venables’ shadow and pave his own path. That’s when the linebackers job at Boise State came open.
Bryan Harsin, then the head coach at Boise State, was looking for a young coach who could connect with players. During the interview process, in which the Broncos spoke to several candidates, Harsin allowed his players to partake in part of the hiring process.
“He was the obvious choice,” said Riley Whimpey, who played linebacker at Boise State from 2017-2021. “He was super personable and easy to get along with. And you could tell he was super knowledgeable about the game. That was something that was important to us as players. We wanted someone who could teach us the game. I feel like I saw that in coach Alley. That was a big reason why many if not all the linebackers wanted him to be the guy.”
Alley was hired by Boise State in 2019 and served as the inside linebackers for one season and was the outside linebackers coach as well as the co-special teams coordinator for his second season in 2020.
His young age allowed him to connect with his players at Boise State, possessing an infectious spirit in practice, something he’s carried with him throughout his career. And something that’s not too dissimilar from Venables.
“I don’t think there’s a coach in college football that could hit the sled as well as coach Alley. We always got a kick out of that,” said Whimpey, who led Boise State in tackles in 2019 under Alley’s leadership. “But that’s just who he is. He loves the game. And he comes to practice every day with the same energy. He has a lot of energy. He, at the time, was one of the younger coaches on the staff and so he was super relatable. Valued the relationships he had with us and really emphasized he cared about us as people. But he also would hold us to the high standard that you have to be held to. He didn’t let relationships get in the way of the standard.”
“The standard” is something that’s often talked about at Oklahoma under Venables. Watch clips of Alley coach and you can see that won’t be an issue for him in Norman. And neither will taking over Venables’ scheme, which he has run at Louisiana Monroe and Jacksonville State.
Alley has put his twist on the defense but has mostly run what Venables ran at Clemson and OU. And he’s had success with obviously less talent. At Jacksonville State this past year, his defense ranked 43rd in total defense, 33rd in scoring defense, 15th in run defense, eighth in defensive stop rate and seventh in turnovers forced per game. This was in Jacksonville State’s first season in the FBS.
His ability to scheme a defense has always been a strength of his. But also his ability to teach that scheme is something that’s come easy.
“He brought a lot of knowledge,” Whimpey said. “He definitely was prepared and knew the Xs and Os and was able to present the Xs and Os in a way that was easy to understand as players. We really appreciated that and felt like he put the time in to simplify things so that when the game came around, we were able to play fast.”
And as OU players have found out, learning Venables’ defense is not an easy thing to do.
“He was sharp enough to understand schemes and what we were trying to do,” Brooks said. “It’s not always easy to understand Brent’s defense, you know? Zac did from Day 1. And he wasn’t afraid to speak up if he saw something and we all listened to him. From the very beginning, it was obvious here’s a guy who is going to work out in the business because he just sees the game in a way few do.”
‘A tremendous asset’
Photo by Brandon Phillips courtesy of Jacksonville State.
It’s only right that Alley and Venables find themselves together again.
Venables wanted to hire Alley as a position coach in 2021 when he was first hired at Oklahoma. But Alley had already agreed to follow Rich Rodriguez from Louisana Monroe to Jacksonville State as the defensive coordinator. And Venables knew he couldn’t throw Alley into the fire just yet, as Venables was rebuilding a program and Alley was learning how to be a playcaller. It had to be the right time.
And now, with a defensive foundation in place in Norman and Alley having three years of playcalling under his belt, the time has come.
“When Brent was hired, that was my only reservation,” Brooks said. “How is he going to handle all the stuff that a head coach has to do at that level nowadays and still be able to sit in that room and strategize and draw up a new blitz to attack protections? In that regard, I think Zac can be a tremendous asset. That will be very much a comfort zone for Brent and someone he knows he can trust to do it the way he wants it done.
“I don’t think Zac is a guy who would get his butt up on his shoulders when Brent says, ‘Hey, we want to do it this way.’ I think he’s a guy who respects what coach Brent has done and knows what he wants to do.”
The thought process in hiring Alley is that it will free Venables up to focus his attention elsewhere. That doesn’t mean Venables won’t have a hand in planning the defense. It’s not in Venables’ nature to not have an input. But it will allow him to help in other areas, whether that’s lending a hand to new offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, making changes to a special teams unit that was abysmal last season, or even having more time off the field for family matters.
And this isn’t a situation where Alley is going to change what OU is doing. He’s coming in to do what Venables has been doing since his days at Clemson. And Alley knows he still has room for growth as a coach, wanting to once again learn from the best.
“He’s such an avid learner,” Mac Lain said. “He’s not set in his ways like, ‘This is my defense and this is what we’re going to do.’ No. He’s going to adjust to personnel and take what he has and who he has and make the defense work. Obviously, you saw that with coach Venables at Clemson and now Oklahoma. That’s why I think those two will work well together. Because of Zac’s foundation, he’s going to be the exact same way.”
Alley’s coaching journey has shaped him into the coach he is today. And while it hasn’t been a long journey, it’s still an impressive resume.
“I feel like he’s just continually taken the right step in his career to put himself in a position where he can have success,” Whimpey said. “He’s had a lot of opportunities to learn. And he’s been put in a lot of positions to kind of drink from a fire hose. So I think he’s definitely prepared and ready to take on the big task that is coming with being the DC at Oklahoma. And the reason I say that is because he’s been around so many great people. When you surround yourself with great people, you’re very likely to become those who you surround yourself with.”
In many ways, Alley has become a spitting image of Venables. And Oklahoma is hopeful the two can replicate the success they had at Clemson. The Sooners are desperate to return to college football’s mountain top.
And while no one knows what Alley’s future holds at OU, it’s clear he has a pedigree and passion for the game that Sooner Nation will surely appreciate.
“There are a lot of kids who love football, but few know what it takes to coach it at a high level,” Witman said. “He had to earn his way where he is. He wasn’t a star collegiate player — he didn’t even play college ball. Zac paid his dues at Clemson and worked his way up. He truly started at the bottom. And he’s proving it will not take long for him to reach the top.”
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