MSU Adds New Defensive Coach
By Danny Waldo
MSU Head Coach Jeff Choate
Head football coach Jeff Choate announced that he has hired Mark Orphey as his defensive secondary coach for the 2017 season. Orphey replaces Gerald Alexander who was hired earlier this winter by the University of California. Orphey comes to Bozeman via the University of South Carolina, where he spent the past four seasons as a defensive assistant.
Orphey is a graduate of Texas Southern, where he played cornerback for the Tigers, starting for three years and earning All-SWAC honors twice. Upon graduating from Texas Southern in 2010, Orphey joined the coaching staff, assisting with the defensive backs from 2010-2012 before joining South Carolina as a quality control assistant. In 2014, Orphey become a defensive graduate assistant for Will Muschamp, a man Choate is familiar with after serving on Muschamp’s staff at Florida in 2013.
“Mark is a young man who has coached in the SEC, been on the biggest stage, and was consistently impressive throughout the interview process. He portrayed confidence and poise and will be a terrific fit on our staff. He will bring ideas from Coach Muschamps and (defensive coordinator) Travaris Robinson, and will help build on the foundation that was set by Gerald Alexander (who accepted a position at Cal in January). I’m very excited to have Mark on board.”
Orphey will be taking over a unit that has struggled in recent seasons, but saw improvement in 2016 under the tutelage of Alexander. Orphey’s unit returns a number of key contributors, including Khari Garcia, Bryson McCabe and Bryce Alley, and should benefit from the addition of former highly recruited cornerback, Naijiel Hale, a Washington Huskie transfer who struggled with injuries in his first fall in Bozeman. The Bobcats also welcomed a trio of highly decorated defensive backs in its 2017 recruiting class.
Orphey will be in Bozeman for the start of spring practices.
Danny Waldo is a local freelance writer covering Bozeman Hawk and Montana State Bobcat athletics.
