Texas football and Steve Sarkisian needed to quickly find a replacement for a defensive assistant. With Blake Gideon heading to Georgia Tech, “Coach Sark” has now secured his successor.
According to Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods, Texas is bringing in Rutgers cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey to replace the former safeties coach.
Anwar Richardson reported on X that, based on his sources, Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian has brought in Rutgers cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey to take over for Blake Gideon.
However, Orphey’s role extends beyond just filling Gideon’s spot. His addition is expected to help maintain a crucial recruiting pipeline.
“Orphey, a North Shore graduate, has deep connections in Houston,” Richardson noted, calling the hire a strong move for the Longhorns.
In January, Sarkisian secured his future in Austin by signing a contract extension, ensuring he wouldn’t consider NFL opportunities. Now, he’s making a significant defensive hire in February.
Sarkisian is adding a seasoned defensive coach to strengthen his staff, one who has also worked alongside some legendary coaching figures.
Orphey played a key role in breaking Rutgers’ long bowl drought and contributed to a 2023 defense that ranked 16th nationally. That same unit also finished 32nd in scoring defense. Among the standout players he coached was Max Melton, a second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft. Another former player under Orphey’s guidance, Christian Braswell, was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2023 draft.
Before his time in Piscataway, New Jersey, Orphey spent 2021 in Tuscaloosa, working as a player personnel assistant under legendary head coach Nick Saban. That season, he was part of Alabama’s coaching staff that reached the national championship game but fell to Georgia, 33-18.
Orphey also gained experience in the Mountain West Conference during two separate stints. He coached Utah State’s cornerbacks from 2018 to 2019 before moving to Montana State, then returned to the Aggies for the 2020 season. Additionally, he had a prior stop at Montana State in 2017 while the program was part of the Big Sky Conference.
Another notable Power Five experience came at South Carolina, where he coached from 2013 to 2016. Orphey began his coaching career at Texas Southern in 2011 at the FCS level.
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