West Virginia Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley knows the Mountaineers have not played well enough on defense. He knows the frustration that comes with giving up big plays, missing tackles and watching problems show up again on Saturdays.
But as Alley tries to get the Mountaineers back on track, he is also leaning on something that goes beyond football. Read more: Zac Alley leans on faith as WVU defense searches for answers.
Alley opened up about his faith and the importance of separating his work from his worth during his media availability Tuesday, following West Virginia’s 52-31 loss to Arizona.
With the Mountaineers preparing for Cincinnati, Alley is searching for ways to fix a defense that has struggled in recent weeks, while also keeping the bigger picture in mind.
“The measure of your work isn’t always a measure of your worth,” Alley said.
Zac Alley opens up about faith, handling losses
Alley said he was fortunate to have the pastor who married him visit over the weekend. The two have been friends for a long time, and Alley said their conversations helped him work through the difficult stretch.
The defensive coordinator admitted that losing and playing poorly take a toll on him, especially when he is responsible for leading a unit that has not performed to its expectations.
He also knows he cannot let those results define everything about himself.
“There’s no part of me that’s like, hey, let’s, you know, run the race in a way to lose,” Alley said. “No, it says run the race in a way to win.”
Alley explained his faith helps him return to the reasons he does what he does, even when things are not going well on the field.
That perspective was reinforced by a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event held on the field Monday night, where several Mountaineers were baptized.
Alley said he made sure to step outside and watch because moments like that help put football into perspective.
“These young men, even though it’s more of a business than it’s ever been, it’s more transactional than it’s ever been, you know, you still have to be transformational in how you treat them,” Alley said.
For Alley, that means remembering that his job is about more than the scoreboard. He wants to help players understand how they see themselves and how they respond to adversity, both during their football careers and later in life.
That message is something he said he needs to remind himself of, too.
Still, that does not mean he is satisfied with how West Virginia has played. Alley made it clear that he hates losing and understands the responsibility that comes with his position.
He also acknowledged that finding time to process a difficult loss can be challenging when the responsibilities of the job continue, including meeting with recruits and preparing for the next opponent.
WVU defense faces changes after another difficult outing
While Alley is working through the personal side of the team’s struggles, the immediate football concerns remain.
West Virginia’s defense has struggled to consistently get opponents off the field, and the problems have gone beyond one specific area. Missed tackles, execution issues and breakdowns in assignments have all contributed to the recent performances.
Alley said some of the mistakes were particularly frustrating because the defense had worked on those exact situations during practice.
The coaching staff is now looking at personnel changes and ways to simplify the scheme to help players execute with more confidence.
“It’s an open job,” Alley said of the competition for starting positions. “Ain’t nobody solidified as a starter.”
Alley wants to get the most athletic players on the field in positions where they can succeed. He also acknowledged that uncertainty can lead to hesitation, especially when players see something different from what they practiced during the week.
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His goal is to eliminate some of those gray areas and make responsibilities clearer.
West Virginia Head Coach Rich Rodriguez echoed that message during his own media availability. Rodriguez said the staff has spent considerable time reviewing the film and examining everything from fundamentals and personnel to the defensive scheme.
Rodriguez said he believes the Mountaineers have the players and coaches necessary to perform better, but that ability has not translated into consistent results.
“We just, as a staff, we got to find ways to get our guys to play better,” Rodriguez said.
The head coach also pointed to several costly breakdowns, including two halfback passes against Iowa State and a flea-flicker against Arizona.
Those are the kinds of plays Rodriguez believes the defense cannot afford to allow.
He acknowledged most of the mistakes are correctable, but the team has to show improvement rather than keep repeating the same issues.
Cincinnati presents another challenge for Mountaineers
West Virginia now turns its attention to Cincinnati, which enters the matchup with a physical offense that prefers to establish the running game.
Alley said the Bearcats want to run the ball consistently and have the ability to hurt opponents through the air when necessary. He pointed to their performance against Boston College, when Cincinnati rushed for approximately 400 yards while throwing for only 64.
That puts additional pressure on a West Virginia defense that must improve its tackling and assignment execution.
The Bearcats also had an open date, giving them extra time to study the Mountaineers and prepare for the matchup. Alley expects Cincinnati to potentially introduce some new looks and plays.
For West Virginia, the focus remains on correcting its own mistakes.
Alley said previous teams he has coached have responded to difficult stretches by making personnel adjustments, simplifying certain things and building consistency through repetition. He believes those same steps can help the Mountaineers, although a roster with significant turnover presents its own challenges.
Rodriguez also made it clear that he is not giving up on the defense, despite admitting that the recent stretch has been among the most frustrating he has experienced.
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Both coaches understand that the next step is turning those conversations and adjustments into results.
What’s next
For Alley, the challenge is twofold. He must find a way to get West Virginia’s defense playing at a higher level while maintaining the perspective that helps him handle the pressure of the job.
His faith does not make losing any easier, but it gives him a reminder that football results do not define his entire life.
Now, the Mountaineers need to find a way to carry that perspective into a week that could be important for the direction of their season.
