Rutgers has locked up two assistant coaches who reportedly received interest from the same SEC program this offseason.
Defensive line coach Marquise Watson and cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey both signed contract extensions with the Scarlet Knights last month, according to offer letters obtained by NJ Advance Media via an open records request. Watson signed his extension on January 17 while Orphey signed his on January 20.
Both coaches had reportedly received interest from Ole Miss in the offseason, but they are now sticking on head coach Greg Schiano’s staff.
The new deals are similar in nature: Both Watson and Orphey are now signed through the 2024 season and will be paid $400,000 per year. Their buyouts mirror that of recently-hired wide receivers coach Dave Brock, with slightly-differing language.
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If either coach leaves for another job before September 1, 2023, they will owe Rutgers 100% of their then-current total annual compensation ($400,000). After that date, they would owe 20% of their then-current total annual compensation if they leave for another job outside the Big Ten and 40% if they get another assistant coaching gig inside the conference.
The difference comes in the wording when referring to situations where the University would agree to waive the buyout. For both, that would only occur if they terminate their employment after September 1, 2023.
For Orphey, it would be if he leaves for “a play calling coordinator position at the FBS level or for a coaching position at the NFL level.”
For Watson, it would be if he leaves for “a position that the parties mutually agree is a promotion (e.g. from assistant coach to FBS play calling coordinator or head coach), or as a NFL position coach, or if termination occurs after the final regular season game of the 2024 season.”
For Orphey, the new deal marks a $150,000 raise from what he was previously scheduled to make during the 2023 season. He had one more year remaining on his previous contract, a two-year deal signed in March of 2022 that was set to expire on February 29, 2024, according to an offer sheet obtained by NJ Advance Media. He was scheduled to make $250,000 in the 2023 season, the same salary he made during the 2022 season.
For Watson, the new deal marks a $100,000 raise from what he was previously scheduled to make during the 2023 season. He had one more year remaining on his previous contract, a two-year deal signed in January of 2022 that was set to expire on February 29, 2024. He was scheduled to make $300,000 in the 2023 season, a $25,000 bump from the $275,000 he made during the 2022 season.
A former Paramus Catholic standout and Scarlet Knights graduate assistant, Watson returned to the program in January of 2022 after serving as a senior analyst and GA at Ole Miss for two seasons. Considered one of the best young coaches in the nation and a top recruiter, the Hillside native played at Bryant and was the Bulldogs’ defensive line coach in 2019. He previously served as GA at Rutgers in 2018 under former coach Chris Ash.
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Orphey was hired by head coach Greg Schiano last March.
Prior to Rutgers, Orphey worked as a defensive assistant at Alabama (2021), secondary coach at Utah State (2019-2020) and Montana State (2017-2018). He spent four seasons at South Carolina where he was a quality control coach (2013) and graduate assistant (2014-16). Orphey played collegiately at Texas Southern.
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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com.
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