UAPB vs. AAMU: Father, son on opposite sidelines

By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times

A&M tackle's father coaches for Ark.-Pine Bluff

Alabama A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff will get together Thursday night at Louis Crews Stadium in a rematch of last year's Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.

The game will also feature another rematch of smaller proportions.

A&M defensive tackle Justin Harper will be opposing his father, UAPB defensive line coach Gary Harper, when the two teams collide. Kickoff is 6:30 and the game will be televised live on ESPNU.

Gary Harper took bragging rights last year during the regular season as UAPB turned back A&M 23-21, but Justin Harper got the last laugh as the Bulldogs won the SWAC championship with a 22-13 win last December.

"I was so mad I didn't want to talk to anybody," said Justin Harper, recalling the loss last season. "My family was there and my dad wanted to take pictures, but I didn't feel like taking pictures with him."

Six weeks later, Justin Harper couldn't stop smiling.

"When we won, I took a picture with him," he said. "I know, since he couldn't win (the SWAC championship), he was happy that I won it."

Win or lose, Gary Harper was just thrilled to see his son.

"It was a good experience," said Gary Harper, who has coached at Tuskegee, Morris Brown, Savannah State and UAPB. "It gave me an opportunity to watch Justin on film and play in person. It was great because I seldom get to an opportunity to see him play. He played well. I enjoyed that."

Gary Harper plans to enjoy himself Thursday night. This time, however, he hopes to be celebrating.

"Knowing that Justin is on the other side, I want him to do well, but I want us to win," he said.

Gary and Lori Harper, Justin's mother, got divorced when he was 6 years old. As a result, Justin and Gary Harper have lived apart for most of their lives.

Even so, Justin Harper heavily considered playing college football at Savannah State four years ago. His father was an assistant coach there at the time.

However, A&M, Alcorn State and Nichols State also recruited Harper. In the end, he chose A&M.

"I came up here and had a good time on my visit," said Harper, a 6-foot-2, 252-pound redshirt junior. "I saw the highlight tape and A&M's defense was one of the dominant defenses in the nation and they were winning. I wanted to be a part of that."

Unfortunately, Harper had to call his father and give him the news.

"Initially, he sounded kind of sad ... a little hurt," he said. "But, he was proud I was going to a good school."

A&M offensive coordinator Cedric Pearl, who handles the Bulldogs' offensive line, and Gary Harper coached together at Morris Brown. Harper turned Pearl on to his son.

"Coach Pearl was fired up about Justin and he fell in love with Huntsville," Gary Harper said. "It was disappointing at first, but he needed to be happy where he went. He wanted to win a championship and he did that. A&M has been good for him and he's been good for A&M."

Despite being separated, father and son are close.

"I spent Christmas break, spring breaks and summers with him growing up," Justin said. "We haven't been living together, but we are close. We talk once or twice a week. We talk about football, school and other things."

In fact, they talked some Tuesday.

"He didn't want to talk too much," Gary Harper said. "Hopefully, I'll get to see him and get a chance to talk to him before the game."

Justin Harper has come on the last few weeks.

He broke his left thumb during preseason practice and had to undergo surgery. Initially, he was told he would miss the first four games of the season, but he only missed the season opener against Tennessee State. He moved into the starting lineup against Texas Southern and has been a force to be reckoned with ever since.

"I have a lot of admiration for that kid," A&M coach Anthony Jones said. "He could have stayed out a few more weeks, but he wanted to play. He worked with our trainers to get back and since he's been back he's been our best defensive lineman."

Justin Harper has put a little extra into Thursday night's game. He wants to show out in front of his father.

"I want to have the bragging rights again," he said. "I've been watching a little more film and paying attention a little more to the scouting report ... the small details so I can get better."

Gary Harper couldn't be more proud.

"I'm excited about seeing him," he said. "I haven't seen him since Christmas with me being in Arkansas and him being in school all the time. It's tough, but it's a good thing. He's grown up and he'll be graduating soon.

"As a parent, I'm really proud of him for coming back so soon (from injury). He's just a chip off the old block. He has good work habits and doesn't want to sit out and be lazy. He's got a few more goals he wants to conquer and I'm sure he'll reach them."