SPRINGFIELD -- Mark Watson Jr. will join Missouri State's full-time personnel on the directorial staff, Bears' new head football coach Casey Woods announced today.
 
Watson most recently served as general manager at Kent State University for the 2025 season after serving as the running backs coach and offensive recruiting coordinator in previous assignments during his three seasons with the Golden Flashes.
 
"Coach Watson will play an integral role in player personnel and off-field operations after spending the last three seasons at Kent State," said Woods. "A well-respected St Louis native who spent over a decade coaching on both sides of the ball, he will provide instant stability to modern roster management. We welcome him and his wife Antheria, their daughters Tatiana, Makayla and Amaya, and their son Mark III to the Bears Family! It takes Us ALL!  Join the Climb. Go Bears!"
 
Watson joined the Kent State staff in January of 2023 as the running backs coach and offensive recruiting coordinator. Watson was later elevated to general manager in March 2025.
 
The 2025 Kent State squad logged its most wins since the 2022 season, including victories in three of its last five ball games to close out the campaign.
 
He spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Kent State, overseeing national recruiting as well as specific oversight for recruits in Missouri and Oklahoma.
 
Watson came to Kent State after serving the 2020-22 seasons as the wide receivers coach at Southern Illinois. During his three seasons with the Salukis, he coached All-MVFC wide receivers in each of his three years, including All-American Avante Cox who led The Valley in receiving during the spring 2021 COVID year and was the team's primary recruiter in Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
 
Prior to his time in Carbondale, Watson was at South Dakota from 2016-19 as the defensive backs coach and head of player development. The Coyotes combined to pick off 43 passes in his four seasons. Likewise, South Dakota qualified for the FCS playoffs for the first time in 2017 and reached the round of 16.
 
He returned to the offensive side of the ball in 2013, joining Western Illinois for two seasons and coaching wide receivers (2013-14). The Leathernecks posted three 1,000-yard receivers on the same 2014 team, while WIU's secondary was pivotal in helping the program return to the FCS playoffs in 2014 after a five-year absence.
 
Watson joined the staff at USC in 2012 as a graduate assistant for defensive backs under coach Marvin Sanders. In that capacity, he helped guide the Trojans to a 41st national ranking in pass efficiency defense and 40th position in scoring defense.
 
Watson also has a career stop at Drake for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. In his two years in Des Moines with the Bulldogs, Drake led the Pioneer League in interceptions both seasons, combining for 28 picks in a two-year span. Drake also won the Pioneer League title in 2011 and ranked in the top 10 nationally (FCS) in rushing defense (2nd, 77.4), sacks (4th, 39), interceptions (6th, 17), scoring defense (7th, 17.7) and total defense (10th, 295.4).
 
A St. Charles, Mo., native, Watson played at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin and McPherson (Kan.) College in his career. He was a two-year starter at McPherson and Bulldogs team captain as a senior.
 
He graduated from McPherson in 2010 with a degree in Business Management and Marketing. He later completed his masters in Sports Management from Southern New Hampshire University (2021).
 
He and his wife Antheria have four children -- daughters Tatiana, Makayla and Amaya and son Mark III.
 
His hire is contingent upon formal approval by the Missouri State University Board of Governors at its next scheduled meeting.