Breaking down top three Miami football DBs coaching candidates

Nebraska secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator Evan Cooper, Marshall cornerbacks coach and co-defensive coordinator Chevis Jackson and Rutgers CB coach Mark Orphey have emerged as the three leading candidates to be the next Miami defensive backs coach per multiple reports.

Alex Donno of All Hurricanes and Locked on Canes posted that Gaby Urrutia of Inside the U reported Cooper and Jackson interviewed for the open Miami defensive backs coach position this week. Donno mentioned in his article on Thursday that Orphey has reportedly emerged as another candidate.

Cooper has worked in college or the NFL since 2013. Cooper began his career as a graduate assistant and director of external operations at Temple in 2013 and 2014. Following two seasons at Temple, Cooper had a prior sting on the Miami staff for six months as the assistant director of player personnel in 2015.

Cooper returned to Temple as the director of player personnel later in 2015. Baylor hired Cooper for the same position in 2017. Cooper was elevated to defensive line and secondary coach at Baylor in 2018. Cooper coached CBs and was the recruiting coordinator at Baylor in 2019.

Cooper left Baylor with head coach Matt Ruhle for the Carolina Panthers. Cooper was the CBs coach and director of player evaluation. Ruhle hired Cooper as the secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator for the 2023 season.

Cooper went to Miami Killian for high school before playing at Michigan. Cooper is credited with signing five four-star players. That includes former Palmetto wide receiver Jacory Barney. Under Cooper, Nebraska finished 40th nationally in 2023, allowing 210.6 passing yards per game.

Jackson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at South Alabama in 2013 and 2014. After two years in Mobile, Jackson spent the 2015 season as a grad assistant at LSU. Jackson earned his first full-time on-field role as the DB coach at Ball State from 2016 through 2018.

Jackson earned experience at a Power Five program as the DBs coach at Kansas from 2019 through 2021. Since 2022, Jackson has been the DBs coach at Marshall. Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry and Jackson worked together at Marshall in 2022. Marshall finished 22nd nationally in 2022, allowing 201.5 passing yards per game.

Orphey began his coaching career as the CBs coach at FCS Texas Southern in 2011 and 2013. South Carolina hired Orphey as a defensive graduate assistant in 2013 and he moved up to quality control from 2014 through 2016. Orphey returned to an on-field role as the secondary coach at Montana State in 2017 and 2018.

Orphey received his first on-field role coaching the secondary at Utah State in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, Orphey was hired as a senior defensive analyst at Alabama. After one season with the Crimson Tide, Orphey left to become the CBs coach at Rutgers, where he has been since then.

Orphey mentored an elite Rutgers pass defense in 2023. Rutgers finished 10th nationally, allowing 176.3 passing yards per game. Maryland was the only 2023 Rutgers opponent with over 300 yards passing in 2023. Eight Rutgers opponents finished with under 200 yards passing in 2023.