West Virginia’s defense gave up some concerning numbers in its season opener, but Virginia coach Tony Elliott sees something more complicated waiting for the Cavaliers.
No. 25 Virginia will face WVU on Saturday in Charlotte with defensive coordinator Zac Alley preparing for his first Power Four opponent of the season. While studying the Mountaineers, Elliott recognized characteristics in Alley’s defense that reminded him of one of college football’s most recognizable defensive minds: Oklahoma coach and former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
“Oh, Zach. He’s a lot like BV,” Elliott said. “I’m thinking about my hairline now, all the hair I lost on the practice field going against Brent, and he was right there as an assistant helping Brent.”
Tony Elliott Sees Brent Venables Influence in WVU Defense
Elliott knows the comparison better than most. He spent more than a decade on Clemson’s coaching staff and worked alongside Venables after the latter arrived as defensive coordinator in 2012. Alley was also at Clemson during that era, serving as a graduate assistant under Venables from 2015 through 2018.
Those four seasons produced remarkable results. Clemson went 55-4, won four consecutive ACC championships and captured national championships in 2016 and 2018 while Alley worked primarily with the defensive tackles and linebackers. He eventually reunited with Venables at Oklahoma in 2024 as the Sooners’ co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Now Elliott sees elements of that defensive background showing up at West Virginia.
“He’s going to be very multiple, like you said,” Elliott said of Alley. “He’s going to show you some things that he can do maybe you haven’t seen before to really stress your preparation and ability to adjust in game.”
Elliott specifically pointed to WVU’s ability to change its presentation before the snap. The Mountaineers can move between different fronts, bring pressure from different places and disguise what they intend to do in coverage, forcing an offense to diagnose the defense rather than simply react to one consistent look.
WVU Defense Gets Major Opportunity Against No. 25 Virginia
The comparison arrives at an interesting time for Alley’s defense. West Virginia allowed Coastal Carolina quarterback Deuce Bailey to throw for 373 yards in the season opener, an obvious concern despite WVU escaping with a victory. The Mountaineers were considerably better against the run, holding the Chanticleers to only 52 rushing yards on 27 attempts.
That performance made the secondary difficult to ignore, but Elliott’s assessment provides another perspective entering WVU’s first matchup against a Power Four opponent. Virginia isn’t preparing for a defense it believes can be solved simply by attacking one weakness repeatedly. Elliott is preparing his offense for the possibility that Alley changes the picture throughout the game.
Virginia quarterback Beau Pribula will be at the center of that challenge. The Cavaliers quarterback has completed 21 of 25 passes for 317 yards and five touchdowns through two games, while Virginia has opened the season 2-0. The matchup should provide the clearest indication yet of whether WVU’s defense can translate its complexity into results against stronger competition.
Alley is still building the defense Rodriguez brought him back to Morgantown to lead, and there is plenty for the Mountaineers to clean up after two games. Allowing 373 passing yards to Coastal Carolina means nobody should confuse Elliott’s comparison with a declaration that WVU has already become one of Venables’ elite Clemson defenses.
The comparison is about what Alley makes an offense process. Elliott spent years watching Venables make offensive coaches solve those problems at Clemson. Now, with No. 25 Virginia preparing for West Virginia, he sees some of the same fingerprints in Morgantown.
Virginia HC Tony Elliott Makes Fascinating Brent Venables Comparison to WVU Defense