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T.J. Harper |
Photo: Pearl
River C.C. |
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Tim Hatten has been the
head coach for Pearl River Community College’s powerhouse junior college
football program for six years. During that time about 400 players have
played for the Wildcats and more than 40 have gone on to sign with
major-college programs.
But Hatten says he’s only
had about “five or six’’ players in that time like offensive lineman
T.J. Harper.
“Quality kids like T.J.
don’t come along that often,’’ Hatten said. “He is the kind of kid that
when he came here he went out and got a part-time job at Pizza Hut. He
worked, went to practice, kept his grades up, paid for a car … he’s a
very responsible young man. You just don’t see many 19-year-olds with
that kind of discipline.
“The T.J. Harpers of the
world are few and far between on Division I campuses and on ours as
well.’’
Harper will bring that
tremendous character and some equally impressive blocking stills to
Greenville next Wednesday as he becomes the first member ECU’s
recruiting Class of 2008 to enroll. The 6-foot-2, 315-pounder from
Meridian, MS, made an official visit to campus on Dec. 7 and eventually
accepted a scholarship offer, choosing the Pirates over Conference
USA-rival Southern Miss.
Harper had previously
committed to the Golden Eagles in September, but he re-opened his
recruitment when long-time head coach Jeff Bower was fired in a surprise
move in November.
The Pirates and UAB
quickly pounced when Harper became available again, and he made official
visits to both schools before choosing ECU. He signed a national
letter-of-intent with the Pirates on Dec. 19, the first day of the
signing period for junior college transfers.
True to his character,
Harper said it was an academic interest, along with the football
program’s success, that led him to choose East Carolina. Harper has an
interest in a career in movies. He’s directed two short films, including
one for a school project on the dangers of steroid use.
While on his official
visit to Greenville, Harper was told about the opportunities to prepare
for a film career at ECU, and about the school’s impressive list of
former students that includes screenwriter Kevin Williamson and
actresses Emily Proctor and Sandra Bullock.
“Academics came first with
me,’’ Harper said. “I’m really interested in becoming a movie director
some day. It really drew my attention to (ECU) when they told me about
the program there and the people in the industry who had gone to school
there.’’
But it’s on the football
field where Harper is expected to make an immediate impact at East
Carolina.
A two-year starter at
guard for Pearl River, Harper earned All-Region 23 honors in 2007. He
came to Pearl River, which is located in Poplarville, from nearby
Meridian. Despite earning all-state honors as a senior at Meridian High
School, Harper wasn’t heavily recruited by major colleges.
“The only university that
recruited me was a Division II school, West Alabama, which is like 30
minutes away from my hometown,’’ Harper said. “When I talked to the
coaches at Pearl River they told me if I’d come down there I would leave
with a Division I scholarship. So I took a chance.’’
Hatten said Harper “flew
under the (recruiting) radar’’ coming out of high school because he
wasn’t the prototype heights for an offensive lineman.
“He just wasn’t 6-5, 300
pounds,’’ Hatten said. “Plus, he played at a high school where they
primarily run the ball, so he didn’t get a chance to show how well he
could move.
“But he came to our place,
and we throw the ball 45 or 50 times a game. People started noticing how
great his feet are. We used him at guard, but he could play tackle. He’s
just not your typical tall tackle. He’s not 6-5 with long arms. But he
can pass block with the best of them. He has no weaknesses.’’
Strength, in fact, is one
of Harper’s strengths.
“He has awesome
strength,’’ Hatten said. “He can bench between 450 and 480 pounds. He
squats around 600 pounds. He’s just a real strong kid.’’
Harper’s power wasn’t much
a benefit during his part-time work at Pizza Hut, but his discipline
certainly came in handy.
“It was hard, but I just
had to fit it into my schedule,’’ he said. “Sometimes I’d leave practice
and go straight to work. Everything closes down there by 9 o’clock, so
when I got off I’d go home and do my homework.
“The job was just
something to keep me busy and put some money in my pocket.’’
Don’t, however, expect to
see Harper preparing pies in Greenville. Football and academics will be
his main concentration. He hopes to make an immediate impact on ECU’s
offensive line at either guard or center.
“Hopefully I can get in
there, learn the offense and earn myself some playing time,’’ Harper
said. “I looked at their offense during my visit. I watched two of their
bowl practices. It’s very similar to what we were doing at Pearl City.
I’ll just need to get the terminology down.’’
[View
thumbnail sketches of all players verbally committed to join ECU's
recruiting class of 2008.]