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Why Zac Alley’s decision to leave OU football for WVU actually makes some sense | Mussatto

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11 months ago

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Why Zac Alley’s decision to leave OU football for WVU actually makes some sense | Mussatto


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Defensive coordinator Zac Alley leaving Oklahoma to take the same job at West Virginia seems on its surface like a step down. The mountains of Morgantown are pretty and all, but you don’t ditch a program like Oklahoma for the West Virginias of the world. 

But once you get past the initial shock value, Alley’s decision isn’t as dubious as it seems. 

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At West Virginia, Alley will reunite with head coach Rich Rodriguez, whom Alley worked with at both Louisiana-Monroe and Jacksonville State. When Jacksonville State hired Rodriguez as head coach, Rodriguez hired Alley as his defensive coordinator. 

But Alley also worked with Brent Venables. For seven years at Clemson and one at Oklahoma. Alley’s relationship with Venables goes a lot deeper than his ties with Rodriguez. 

One big difference though. Under an offensive-minded coach like Rodriguez at West Virginia, Alley will presumably have full control of the defense. That’s something Alley never would’ve had at Oklahoma. Not with the defensive-obsessed Venables in charge. 

At OU, Alley was always going to exist in Venables’ shadow. Heck, he even talked like Venables. OU’s defense drastically improved this season, in what was Alley’s first as defensive coordinator, jumping from 79th in total defense in 2023 to 19th this season. 

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All of us, right or not, instinctively credit Venables for OU’s defensive transformation. 

At West Virginia, Alley will get all the credit or all the blame. 

And then there’s the job stability. 

Rodriguez, embarking on his second stint at West Virginia, is entering Year 1 of a five-year contract. He’s going to get at least, what, three years at his new-old job? 

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Venables, meanwhile, is entering 2025 on the hot seat. He’s had a losing season in two of his three years at OU. He’s 22-17 overall and 12-14 in conference play. 

Venables could certainly turn things around, but I’d bet on Rodriguez outlasting Venables in their respective roles. 

OU is another 6-7 record away from likely cleaning house. 

Rather than risking going down with the ship, the 30-year-old Alley is starting anew in calmer waters.

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CARLSON: Can Brent Venables right the ship after second losing season as OU football coach?

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.



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West Virginia

3 takeaways: Pitt outmuscled, outpaced as West Virginia dominates rivalry game

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November 14, 2025

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3 takeaways: Pitt outmuscled, outpaced as West Virginia dominates rivalry game






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West Virginia Little Caesars Worker Accused of Allegedly Shooting Customer For Looking At Him Wrong

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November 13, 2025

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West Virginia Little Caesars Worker Accused of Allegedly Shooting Customer For Looking At Him Wrong


Little Caesars pizza worker Jahtique Farmer is in the hot seat after serving up an extra helping of mayhem by blasting away and wounding a drive-through customer who he thought had looked at him the wrong way, according to police records. The 21-year-old West Virginia man faces charges of malicious assault in connection with the […]



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Shaw’s Double-Double Leads WVU to Win Over Temple – West Virginia University Athletics

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2 days ago

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November 12, 2025

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Shaw’s Double-Double Leads WVU to Win Over Temple – West Virginia University Athletics


MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s basketball team defeated Temple, 89-61, on Tuesday night inside Hope Coliseum. The win is the Mountaineers’ 20th straight inside Hope Coliseum.
 
Senior guard Sydney Shaw led the way for the Mountaineers after recording her first career double-double. The Miami, Florida native poured in 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Junior guard Gia Cooke also finished with 16 points and added a career-high four steals. All of Cooke’s points came in the middle two quarters to help the Mountaineers pull away.
 
West Virginia finished the game with four in double figures as junior guard Riley Makalusky scored 12 and sophomore forward Jordan Thomas added 10. In total, the Mountaineers had 10 finish the game with a made basket.
 
Senior guard Jordan Harrison finished the night with a season-high seven assists to go along with nine points. Junior forward Carter McCray also finished with seven points, four rebounds and two blocks.  
 
The Mountaineers and Temple played to an even 11-point score to the three-minute mark of the opening quarter. A Makalusky three-ball and McCray’s two at the charity stripe gave WVU a five-point lead in the waning moments of the first. Shaw then cashed in on a buzzer-beating three at the end of the period to push the WVU advantage to eight points. West Virginia closed the first quarter on a 12-2 run and led 19-11.
 
West Virginia pushed its lead to its largest of the half, 13 points, when Cooke came up with a defensive steal and raced away to an open layup. WVU scored seven straight points at the charity stripe during a three-minute span before Thomas and Sydney Woodley each scored in the final minute to give the Mountaineers a 40-28 lead at halftime.
 
The second half was all the Mountaineers as they poured in 25 and 24 points in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. WVU pushed its lead to as many as 32 points midway through the fourth quarter.
 
WVU scored 24 points off turnovers and got a season high 34 points from the bench. The Mountaineer defense held the Owls to just 33.3% shooting and 25% from three. West Virginia was efficient from the floor, connecting on 52.5% of their attempts and 43.5% from beyond the arc.
 
The win moves the Mountaineers to 24-1 in non-conference games during the Kellogg Era. It also marks the 20th straight win at home, dating back to the end of the 2023-24 season. The home dominance is the second-longest home winning streak in program history, trailing only a run of 31 straight home wins from 2009-2011.
 
West Virginia moves to 27-6 all-time in the series against.
 
Of note, the Mountaineers have not lost at home to a non-Power 5 opponent since Dec. 20, 2012, vs. Duquesne. Additionally, the Mountaineers have won 38 straight non-conference regular season contests inside the WVU Coliseum dating back to the 2018-19 season.
 
Next up, West Virginia takes to the road for the first time this season on Friday, Nov. 14 for the Greenbrier Classic. The Mountaineers are set to take on No. 15 Duke in the neutral site matchup with tipoff set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU. 
 



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