Gary Harper named Defensive Line Coach

NORMAL – In April of 2012 the Alabama A&M football program was devastated at the passing of long time defensive line coach Ben Blacknall. His passing left a void and a position to fill on the coaching staff. In July 11^th year head coach Anthony Jones filled that position with the hiring of Gary Harper.

Harper, a 27-year coaching veteran, brings a wealth of experience to A&M. Under his tutelage, Harper has numerous players that have served and are serving in the professional football arena.

Before joining the Bulldogs, Harper was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Benedict College. Harper spent four seasons at the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff where he served as the defensive line coach. Prior to UAPB, Harper was at Savannah State in Georgia, where he served as the D-line coach, strength and conditioning coach, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at different times over a four-year period.

Harper spent two separate tenures on the Tuskegee University staff, serving as defensive coordinator and linebacker coach from 1991-1996 and in 2002. Throughout his stint at TU, he was the head track coach for men and women. For a brief period at Tuskegee, he coached the defensive secondary.

Following Tuskegee, Harper became the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, from 1996-2000. While at Morris Brown, he also coached the linebackers and served as the academic counselor for football. Before the second term at Tuskegee, Harper coached D-line at South Atlanta high school from 2001-2002. Prior to the first term at TU, he coached at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College 1988-1991.

Harper got into the coaching ranks in 1983 at Widefield high school in Colorado Spring, CO, after graduating from Southwestern Oklahoma State University where he was an All-American middle linebacker. At Widefield, he also was a teacher and assistant football and track coach. He left Widefield after two years and became a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater. During Harper’s two-year tenure coaching linebackers, he also served as the men’s head track coach and was named the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year in 1985.

A native of Gulfport, Mississippi, Harper prepped at Harrison Central high school in Gulfport. Before entering Southwestern Oklahoma State, he played two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Harper and his wife, Karla, have three sons Remarro, Marcus and Justin.

“Coach Harper is a good football coach and we are fortunate to have him here with us,” said Jones.” We are excited to have him on our staff and we are looking for great things as his experience will enrich our program.”

“The void coach Blacknall left will never be filled and we will always have him in our hearts,’ Jones mentioned.”

“I was just waiting on God, and this is where He put me. My wife and I prayed for a good program and a good church,” said Harper. “We’re still looking for the church. We found the program, but we’re looking for the church.”

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