Rich Rodriguez is proving he’s on a mission to shape West Virginia into a powerhouse, and he’s not shy about looking to Oklahoma for reinforcements. Just days after luring co-defensive coordinator Zac Alley away from the Sooners, Rodriguez has now landed Oklahoma’s assistant general manager, Chuck Lillie, to fill the same role at WVU.
This marks the second time Rodriguez has swiped a key Oklahoma staffer since returning as the Mountaineers’ head coach on December 12. The first was Zac Alley, who joined West Virginia as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator after a one-year stint with the Sooners. Alley and Rodriguez share a history, having worked together previously at Jacksonville State, where Alley served as Rodriguez’s defensive coordinator.
Chuck Lillie’s departure comes after just one season with the Sooners, where he was brought in by head coach Brent Venables. Prior to his time in Norman, Lillie spent four years as a scouting analyst at Kansas State and was deeply involved in Clemson’s program under Venables, serving as a defensive graduate assistant during Clemson’s 2018 national title run.
At Oklahoma, Lillie worked closely with former linebacker Curtis Lofton, who now serves as the Sooners’ general manager. Lofton’s role includes overseeing recruitment strategies, roster management, and scouting, ensuring that Lillie’s departure adds yet another reshuffle to Oklahoma’s already evolving staff.
With Rodriguez pulling off these moves, West Virginia’s coaching staff is rapidly taking shape—one star recruit from Oklahoma at a time.
