The coach believed to be near the top of Rutgers’ wish list would cost the university approximately $2 million in order to leave his current school — and a lot more in annual salary.

Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead has emerged as a top candidate, according to persons with knowledge of the decision-making process, two weeks into Rutgers’ coaching search. The persons include university officials, prominent donors and high school football coaches who have spoken with Rutgers Athletics Director Pat Hobbs in recent weeks.

After firing Chris Ash and appointing Nunzio Campanile as the Scarlet Knights’ interim head coach in late September, Hobbs said he will refrain from commenting publicly during the search. His go-to line when pressed on specific candidates is “anyone who can help Rutgers football win conference championships … is a candidate for this position.’’

On Monday, Rutgers retained Ventura Partners, an executive search firm, to consult with Hobbs in the process that’s expected to continue through the remainder of the 2019 season.

“We will begin working together immediately to ensure excellent leadership for our football program,’’ Hobbs said.

Chad Chatlos, a top official at Ventura who is assisting Hobbs in the search, declined a request to be interviewed this week.

“I make it a policy to not comment during the search,’’ he told NJ Advance Media on Thursday.

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Moorhead, who turns 46 next month, is believed to be high up on Rutgers’ early list. His Northeast roots, head-coaching experience and winning record — criteria believed to be important for Hobbs in the search — are reasons why Moorhead’s candidacy makes sense.

A Pittsburgh native, Moorhead compiled a 38-13 record in four seasons on the FCS level at Fordham, his Bronx, N.Y.-based alma mater, and then had a successful two-year stint as the offensive coordinator at Penn State. He enjoyed immediate success at Mississippi State with an 8-5 record last season.

But with the Bulldogs sitting at 3-3 this season, Moorhead had what one media outlet called an “emotional, soul-searching press conference’’ following a 20-10 loss to Southeastern Conference-rival Tennessee last weekend.

“Coaching in the SEC for about a year-and-a-half now in a lot of ways has been a humbling experience,” Moorhead said Monday. “I don’t think you get to this point where I am without a certain level of success, and of confidence, but this game and the SEC, it has a way of keeping you honest.’’

After his name first surfaced as a candidate for the Rutgers vacancy, Moorhead said his focus was on leading his Mississippi State team.

“We ask our players to be focused on the task at hand and right now I’m focused on us getting better,'' he told reporters on Sept. 30, dismissing a question regarding the Rutgers job.

Moorhead earns a base salary of $3.05 million this season, but his buyout to leave the SEC school would cost Rutgers significantly less than that figure.

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According to a contract obtained Thursday by NJ Advance Media through a public-records request to Mississippi State, Moorhead would be obligated to pay the university all of his remaining base salary on a contract that runs through December 2022. That amount — which Rutgers would pay — totals $1.95 million.

Of course, that’s just the buyout. Rutgers would likely need to also exceed a salary that includes supplemental income as well. Moorhead is scheduled to earn $3.15 million in 2020, $3.25 million in 2021 and $3.35 million in 2023.

Several prominent donors told NJ Advance Media this week the expectation is Rutgers will be more competitive with salary for its next head coach.

Ash, who was fired four games into his fourth season, was earning $2.3 million. That salary reportedly ranked next-to-last among Big Ten head coaches this season. As part of his buyout, Rutgers is on the hook for approximately $8.47 million through the 2022 season.

According to the USA TODAY salary database and reports from other media outlets, the average salary among the 13 other Big Ten coaches is $4.2 million. Yahoo Sports reported earlier this week there’s talk that Rutgers is willing "to play ball with the Big Ten big boys'' salary-wise by paying "in the neighborhood of $4 million'' for its next coach.

Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh is the highest salary earner among Big Ten coaches at a reported $7.5 million while Nebraska’s Scott Frost ($5M), Illinois’ Lovie Smith ($5M), Penn State’s James Franklin ($4.8M), Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz ($4.7M), Ohio State’s Ryan Day ($4.5M) and Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio ($4.4M) each reportedly tops $4 million annually.

If Rutgers simply matched Moorhead’s 2020 Mississippi State salary ($3.15M), it would rank 12th in the 14-team Big Ten — ahead of only Maryland’s Mike Locksley ($2.5 million) and Indiana’s Tom Allen ($1.83 million). Going just north of $4 million annually would put Rutgers in the middle of the conference pack.

“We are in a very fortunate position to be part of Big Ten, and obviously that means a very different financial position as we go forward,’’ Hobbs said on Sept. 30, when pressed on how much the school would be willing to pay its next head coach. “We also have a great opportunity in terms of season ticket sales. The excitement of a new coach that comes in, every 10,000 season tickets that we sell is another $4.5 million dollars. That’s not insignificant. So I believe we will have the resources going forward and I know I have the full support … to go out and hire the very best.’’

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Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.