Texas Football: Rutgers CB coach Jay Valai replaces Jason Washington
The cornerbacks coach opening on the staff for the Texas football program was filled on Jan. 10 by former Rutgers CB coach Jay Valai.
All the coaching turnover on the staff for the Texas football program continued on the weekend of Jan. 11. Texas started the bout of the shifts in the coaching staff on what is formally known as “Black Sunday”. That happened two days after Texas knocked off the Big 12 foe Texas Tech Red Raiders in the regular season finale a little less than two months ago.
However, head coach Tom Herman is trying to shape up this Texas Longhorns football program in the way he envisioned back when he was hired from the Houston Cougars in December 2016. This time, he’s trying to improve the cornerbacks.
It appears that the next shift in the Texas coaching staff will come from the defensive side of the ball. The former Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach and recently hired Texas defensive coordinator Chris Ash looks to be adding a former positional coach of his to the staff on the Forty Acres.
According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, former Rutgers cornerback coach Jay Valai will be coming to link up with Ash and the Longhorns in the same spot on this staff. The close ties that Valai has to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and his previous success as a positional coach elsewhere at the college and NFL levels add to the credibility of this hire.
Source: #Texas is expected to hire Jay Valai as cornerbacks coach. Valai held the same spot under new Texas DC Chris Ash at Rutgers. He also coached with the KC Chiefs and Georgia. Valai grew up near Dallas and brings a strong reputation in recruiting and player development.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 10, 2020
The coach that Valai will be replacing is the former Texas cornerbacks coach and recruiting coordinator Jason Washington. As a familiar face on the coaching staff for Herman, losing Washington will be a big shift. Washington was on staff with Herman since his tenure with the Houston program.
Texas CB coach Jason Washington tells me he will not be retained. DC Chris Ash hiring his own CB assistant.
— Brian Davis (@BDavisUT) January 10, 2020
Texas has now lost more than four positional coaches heading into the 2020 offseason. The first major moves that Herman made at the conclusion of the regular season was letting go of both coordinators. But former defensive coordinator Todd Orlando was replaced by Ash and former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Beck was replaced by the last Ohio State passing game coordinator Mike Yurcich.
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At least this opening on the coaching staff was filled pretty quick by Ash and Herman. The Longhorns still have a lot of voids in this coaching staff, but Valai could be a pretty potent hiring at a weaker position group over the course of the last two seasons.