Jay Valai

Jay Valai

Current position
Title	Assistant head coach for defense/co-defensive coordinator/pass defense/cornerbacks and nickelbacks coach
Team	Oklahoma
Conference	SEC
Annual salary	$750,000
Biographical details
Born	Euless, Texas
Playing career
2006–2010	Wisconsin
Position(s)	Defensive Back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2016–2017	Georgia (DQC)
2018	Kansas City Chiefs (DQC)
2019	Rutgers (CB)
2020	Texas (CB)
2021	Alabama (CB)
2022–present	Oklahoma (CB/Co-DC)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Second-team All-Big Ten (2008, 2009)

Jay Valai is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant head coach for defense, co-defensive coordinator, and pass defense coach at the University of Oklahoma.

Playing career

Valai was a four-year letter winner at Wisconsin as a defensive back where he served as a captain in 2010. ^[1] He earned second team All-Big Ten (coaches) honors in 2008 and 2009. He totaled 153 tackles, four forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions in 48 career games. ^[2]

Coaching career

Early Coaching Career

Jay began his coaching career at Georgia as a defensive quality control coach, where he served in that position in 2016 and 2017. In 2018 he went to the NFL and coached under Andy Reid with the Chiefs as a defensive quality control coach. ^[3] In 2019 he returned to the college ranks as the cornerbacks coach for Rutgers. ^[4] In 2020 he went to his home state of Texas becoming the Longhorns cornerbacks coach. ^[5]

Alabama

After Texas fired Tom Herman, Valai left the program and on January 20, 2021, he was announced as Houston's cornerbacks coach. ^{[6] [7]} However he would change his mind and on February 1 the Philadelphia Eagles announced that they hired Valai as cornerbacks coach for the inaugural staff for Nick Sirianni. ^{[8] [9]} However twelve days later Alabama announced that they hired Valai as the team's cornerbacks coach. ^{[10] [11]}

Oklahoma

On January 11, 2022, Valai would move schools once again and become the co-defensive coordinator for Oklahoma. ^[12]

Personal life

Valai and his wife Courtney have two daughters and a son.

References

1. Schreiner, Craig. "Jay Valai, UW captains story". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
2. "Jay Valai | Football". Wisconsin Badgers. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
3. "Kansas City Chiefs reportedly hire Jay Valai as defensive quality control coach". Arrowhead Addict. January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
4. "TheKnightReport - Meet Rutgers Football new cornerbacks coach Jay Valai". rutgers.rivals.com. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
5. "Jay Valai - Football Coach". University of Texas Athletics. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
6. rewmillerssc (January 21, 2021). "Texas Football: Jay Valai joining Holgorsen's staff as CB coach". Hook'em Headlines. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
7. "Reports: Jay Valai to be hired by Houston as defensive backs coach". 247Sports. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
8. Gowton, Brandon Lee (February 1, 2021). "Report: Eagles add Houston cornerbacks coach to their staff". Bleeding Green Nation. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
9. Duarte, Joseph (February 1, 2021). "UH assistant coach Jay Valai leaves program after 12 days". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
10. "Eagles' assistant coach Jay Valai set to join Nick Saban's staff at Alabama". Eagles Wire. February 12, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
11. rewmillerssc (February 13, 2021). "Former Texas football CB coach Jay Valai hired by Alabama". Hook'em Headlines. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
12. "Oklahoma targeting Alabama assistant Jay Valai to be the next cornerbacks coach". Sooners Wire. January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2022.