COLLEGE FOOTBALLL: Harper moving from Towson to Old Dominion - Hobbs Daily Report

Former Bandys star who reached NFL

to coach tight ends in his new job

By CHRIS HOBBS

HobbsDailyReport.com

NORFOLK, Va.—Catawba County native Justin Harper, who played his way to the NFL, is making another move to bolster his career as a college football coach.

Harper — a star at Bandys High and Virginia Tech, who then played for the Baltimore Ravens, is leaving Towson (Md.) to become tight ends coach at Old Dominion for Ricky Rahne.

Justin Harper had 18 touchdown catches in 2002 for Bandys High before starring in college at Virginia Tech and he was an NFL draft pick and played for the Baltimore Ravens. On Wednesday, it was announced Harper is leaving Towson to join the coaching staff at Old Dominion./VIRGINIA TECH PHOTO

The move was announced Wednesday at Old Dominion.

Harper has been wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the last four seasons at Towson.

“Justin is a great addition to our staff,” Rahne said in an Old Dominion press release. “His personality, passion and in-region recruiting ties will be extremely valuable as our program moves forward.”

While at Towson, Harper helped Shane Leatherbury break the single-season school record for touchdowns and become a two-time all-conference Harper also helped the Tigers make the 2018 FCS playoffs.

Harper spent the 2017 season at Central State (Div. II, Ohio) coaching wide receivers.
Prior to that, he was wide receivers coach and academic coordinator at Virginia State from 2015-16, and became the interim head coach that spring, signing a recruiting class of 17 players that included three all-rookie performers.

Harper began his coaching career at Lenoir-Rhyne, leading the wide receivers from 2013-14.

A 2008 graduate of Virginia Tech, Harper won four letters for the Hokies at wide receiver, catching 83 passes for 1,338 yards and eight touchdowns.

He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and was on the Ravens from 2008-11. He played in the CFL for two years, seeing action for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and British Columbia Lions.