What to expect from new Arizona CBs coach Chip Viney

New Arizona cornerback coach Chip Viney returns to his roots with a power conference program in 2024. Viney played at UCLA and spent seven seasons on the Oklahoma staff in two different stints. Viney is one of several Arizona assistant coaches who coached under head coach Brent Brennan at San Jose State.

The sample size for Viney as a CBs coach is limited to the last two seasons at San Jose State and Nevada in 2017. Viney began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma from 2013 through 2015. In 2016 Viney was elevated to special teams assistant at Oklahoma. Viney left OU for Nevada.

Nevada was 111th nationally in allowing 263.1 passing yards per game, 122nd with permitting 8.8 yards per attempt and a 158.32 passer rating, 104th with giving up 20 touchdown passes, 125th with a 66.9 passer rating against and tied for 89th with eight interceptions. Viney chose to return to Oklahoma after one season with Nevada.

Viney was a defensive and recruiting analyst for Oklahoma from 2018 through 2020. In 2021, Viney was elevated to Director of Player Development and Scouting Analyst for Oklahoma. Brennan hired Vicey as the CBs coach at San Jose State ahead of the 2022 season where he remained for the last two seasons.

San Jose State was 22nd with allowing 217.7 passing yards per game, 63rd with a 130.11 defensive passer rating, 84th with permitting 7.4 yards per attempt, 78th with an opponent’s 60.7 completion percentage, 18th with allowing 15 TD passes and 22nd with 14 interceptions in Viney’s first season in 2022.

In 2023 San Jose State was 39th with allowing 183.0 passing yards per game, 22nd allowing 6.6 YPA, 44th with a 127.44 passer rating against, one spot behind Arizona, 74th with opponents completing 61.0 percent of their passes, 56th with allowing 19 TD passes and 39th with 12 interceptions.

Viney will coach an Arizona CB unit led by preseason All-Big XII Tacario Davis. Transfer Marquis Groves-Killebrew was a four-star prospect who needs to perform at his third school as the other starting CB opposite Davis. Emmanuel Karnley, Demetrius Freeney and Jai-Ayuviann Celestine are the other CBs on the Arizona two-deep.

Arizona probably won’t be tested until week three at Kansas State. New Mexico who Arizona hosts on Saturday had only 173 passing yards in their 35-31 week one loss to FCS Montana State. Arizona hosts FCS Northern Arizona next week. Arizona should be ready versus Big XII opponents after facing elite Pac-12 quarterbacks in 2023.