Rich Rodriguez Offers Support, Explains Confidence in Zac Alley

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Even with his frustration at an all-time high, Rich Rodriguez still believes in his defensive staff, namely defensive coordinator Zac Alley. Just three days after labeling a question about Alley’s job “fair” and leaving the door open to consider a change in play calling, Rodriguez offered his public support for the higher ranking coach on his staff.

“He did a really good job at Oklahoma as a d coordinator and those were against some pretty good teams in the SEC,” said Rodriguez before referencing Alley’s past success and track record of turning rough patches around.

However, Rodriguez knows what’s happening in games is unacceptable and needs fixed fast. He said he had a 4.5-hour long meeting with his defensive staff on Sunday as they work towards that fix.

West Virginia’s defense allowed Arizona to hang 45 of their 52 total points on them on Saturday, which followed giving up 577 yards and 45 points at Iowa State and 609 yards and 41 points against Oklahoma State.

“It’s really frustrating. I think our fans were fantastic. They showed up today. I thought it was a great crowd. They tried to lift our defense up,” said Rodriguez about the defense letting down the offense. Offensively, Mike Hawkins, Cam Cook, who did fumble twice, and company racked up 522 yards and 31 points. In the week prior, they put up 518 yards and 42 points, losing a shootout to Iowa State. And the week before that, they reached 476 yards in a 41-24 loss to Oklahoma State.

Entering the most recent debacle, Alley defended his players, at least talent wise. Then on Tuesday, he also added that he was disappointed in the effort against Arizona, noting he saw loafing more in that game than any other.

“I think we are talented enough to be a lot better than we are.” Even the communication, once called out as something that needed fixed for the defense, has been fixed, although doesn’t matter without proper execution, according to Alley.

The numbers don’t lie though, and they aren’t friendly for Alley, brought in from Oklahoma to pair his defensive acumen with Rodriguez’s offensive mind. But now a year and half into his tenure in Morgantown, it’s clear, and unavoidable for Rodriguez despite their close personal relationship, that Alley’s defense hasn’t lived up to the hype and a change may be the only option left to fix the unit.

Find more coverage of Zac Alley and the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.