SFA Coaching Candidates - Part Two

[TexasTerror]

New applicants for the HC position including Blinn Jr HC Brad Franchione, SHSU OC James Ferguson and former Houston HC John Jenkins...

LIST OF CANDIDATES

J.C. Harper, SFA defensive coordinator: SFA's defense ranked second in SLC in scoring defense (21.1 points per game). Defense allowed just 28 touchdowns, second fewest in the league.

Kim Dameron, Louisiana-Monroe defensive coordinator: Former SFA coordinator. His defense ranked first in scoring defense in the Sun Belt this season.

Brad Franchione, Blinn JC head coach: 19-3 in two seasons. His 2006 team won the junior college national title.

Jack Bicknell, former Louisiana Tech head coach: Former WAC coach of the year (1999) recently ousted at Louisiana Tech.

David Bennett, Coastal Carolina University (S.C.) head coach: Team was 9-3 last season.

Jay Brown, head coach at Texas College: SFA graduate resurrected Texas College program from heap pile. Went 8-3 in his first season.

Gary DeLoach, UCLA assistant coach: SFA's defensive coordinator from 1983-1989.

Bob Connelly, offensive line coach at Alabama: Also served on staffs at Washington State and San Jose State.

James Ferguson, Sam Houston offensive coordinator: Ex-SFA assistant seeking return to Nacogdoches.

John Jenkins, Ottawa Renegades head coach: Small world. He once served on staff at Nac High.

Scott Wachenheim, Liberty University (Va.) offensive coordinator: Also served on staff at Rice.

Zak Willis, Newberry (S.C.) College head coach: Team was 11-2 in recently completed season.

Scott Maxfield, Henderson State head coach: Team was 8-3 last season.

Richard Cundiff, Texas A&M-Kingsville former head coach: Resigned at A&M-Kingsville after seven seasons.

Don Carthel, West Texas A&M head coach: Lone Star Conference champions the last two seasons.

Mike Hudson, Montana assistant coach: Served as defensive coordinator at Sam Houston and Texas State of Southland.

Darrell Dickey, North Texas University former head coach: Four-time Sun Belt Coach of the Year selection needs a job.

Randy Ball, former Missouri State head coach: 99-83 in 16 seasons. Four playoff stints.

Andy Hobbs, Tennessee Titans advance scout: Former head coach at Middle Tennessee State.

Bill Maskill, Midwestern State head coach: Team was 10-3 last season. Has served on staffs at Vanderbilt, SMU and Wake Forest.

Ramon Flanigan, former offensive coordinator at North Texas: Played QB at SMU.

Jay Mills, Charleston Southern University head coach: Team was 9-2 last season. Coached on staffs at Harvard, Notre Dame and Boise State.

Steven Smith, Rhein Fire offensive line coach: Fire is an NFL Europe team.

Rod Broadway, North Carolina Central head coach: 33-10 record.

George Small, former head coach at North Carolina A&T State University.

Christopher Banks, Maryland assistant volunteer coach.

Daryl Hobbs, currently out of coaching.

Keith Austin, former assistant coach at Tenaha, Cushing and Huntington: Holds two degrees from SFA. Shooting for the stars.

http://www.dailysentinel.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2006/12/16/SFA_JOB_FOR_SATURDAY.html

[TexasTerror]

My finalists:

J.C. Harper, SFA defensive coordinator: SFA's defense ranked second in SLC in scoring defense (21.1 points per game). Defense allowed just 28 touchdowns, second fewest in the league.

Kim Dameron, Louisiana-Monroe defensive coordinator: Former SFA coordinator. His defense ranked first in scoring defense in the Sun Belt this season.

Brad Franchione, Blinn JC head coach: 19-3 in two seasons. His 2006 team won the junior college national title.

Jack Bicknell, former Louisiana Tech head coach: Former WAC coach of the year (1999) recently ousted at Louisiana Tech.

[Dabnus Brickey]

Bennett is no longer a candidate.

[TexasTerror]

End of the week...is when we'll apparently have a coach in place for Stephen F Austin. Not sure whom it will be as I haven't heard anything either way. Seems to me that Harper is the favorite for the position...

SFA coaching search intensfies

Listen to this article or download audio file.Click-2-Listen
By KEVIN GORE
The Daily Sentinel

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

A new SFA football coach could be in place by the end of the week, according to Lumberjack athletics director Robert Hill.

Hill said the SFA board of regents will discuss the issue in a meeting today.

SFA is in search of a new coach, after former head coach Robert McFarland resigned from the post Dec. 2 to accept the offensive coordinator's position at Iowa State.

Hill has received 28 applications the last two weeks.

He said he will make a recommendation to SFA president Baker Patillo on his preference as who will be McFarland's successor.

He said Patillo will then take that recommendation to the board of regents for discussion.

"It is my hope that we wrap this up this week," Hill said. "We have recruits taking official visits in January, and the AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) has its convention in early January."

http://www.dailysentinel.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2006/12/20/COACHING_SFA_SEARCH.html

[Footix]

Bennett figured it was likely to hurt recruiting if his name kept kept floating around a gig that he didn't even want.

[TexasTerror]

SFA Board of Regents is meeting today at 3 PM...

Stephen F. Austin State University
Board of Regents Meeting
Nacogdoches, Texas
December 20, 2006
Austin Building 307

The Board of Regents of Stephen F. Austin State University will convene a special meeting according to the following agenda:

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2006
3:00 p.m. Executive Session

Personnel Matters Regarding Specific University Employees:
Consideration of Individual Personnel Matters Relating to Appointment,
Employment, Evaluation, Assignment, Duties, Discipline, or Dismissal of an Officer or Employee, including but not limited to, the president, the vice presidents, and the head football coach. (Texas Government Code, Section 551.074) Possible action may be taken in Open Session on matters considered in Executive Session.

Further details regarding the posted agenda are available for public review in the Office of the Board of Regents, Austin Building 308, Phone (936) 4684048.

[SFA 71]

12/21/06 Football
SFA Names J.C. Harper Head Football Coach
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack defensive coordinator J.C. Harper has been named SFA's new head football coach, Director of Athletics Robert Hill announced at a press conference on campus Thursday morning. Harper takes over for Robert McFarland, who resigned earlier this month to become an assistant coach at Iowa State.:thumbsup:

[SFA 71]

SFA defensive coordinator takes over as `Jacks' new head coach

Dec. 21, 2006

NACOGDOCHES - Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack defensive coordinator J.C. Harper has been named SFA's new head football coach, Director of Athletics Robert Hill announced at a press conference on campus Thursday morning. Harper takes over for Robert McFarland, who resigned earlier this month to become an assistant coach at Iowa State.

"I'm extremely excited to announce J.C. as our new head coach," said Hill. "After a thorough search, Harper stood out as the best choice for this position. He has earned this opportunity through his hard work and dedication to SFA. I'm excited about the future of Stephen F. Austin football."

Harper joined the Lumberjack coaching staff as the defensive coordinator prior to the 2005 season. He was given the responsibility of turning a young Lumberjack defensive unit into a dominant force. Harper's influence is evident in just two short seasons on campus. Harper turned a defense that finished near the bottom in every statistical category in 2005, into the most effective defense in the league. The `Jacks led the Southland Conference in scoring defense, rush defense and total defense during league games in 2006.

Harper's athletes have also been recognized at the conference, regional and national level. The Lumberjack defense has produced nine all-conference athletes, including two first-team and two-second team selections, under Harper. SFA has also produced three All-American selections and two all-region honors during the past two seasons.

The 2006 season marked the second consecutive year that SFA has produced the league's top tackler. Former Lumberjack Ryan Luedecke made the switch to linebacker as a senior and recorded a career year in 2005. Luedecke led the SLC in tackles on his way to honorable mention All-America honors. This past season Harper found success with another player making the switch to linebacker in Damian Perkins. Perkins became an impact player during his first season on defense leading the league with 92 tackles, including 11.5 for losses.

An 18-year veteran of collegiate coaching, Harper served as defensive coordinator at Western Michigan in 2004. Harper spent two seasons at Western Michigan, and has also made coaching stops at Northwestern State and McNeese State. During that time he helped coach the Cowboys and Demons to three playoff appearances in four years.

[SFA 71]

J.C. Harper

Player Profile

Position:
Defensive Coordinator
Experience:
Second Season

J.C. Harper returns for his second season as the defensive coordinator and linebackers' coach for the 'Jacks, after coming to Nacogdoches in December 2004. In his first season, Harper was given the task of guiding a youthful defensive unit through the rigors of one of the nation's toughest schedules. SFA produced three of the league's top-10 tacklers, including league-leader Ryan Luedecke, who finished the season with 113. By season's end, the honors started rolling in with three All-SLC selections, two all-region honors and two All-Americans, including 2005 Don Hansen's Football Gazette First-Team selection Keldrick Holman.

A 17-year veteran of collegiate coaching, Harper was at Western Michigan prior to joining McFarland's staff. He was the defensive coordinator for coach Gary Darnell in 2004 and served as the defensive line coach in 2003. His defensive line was ranked as the third best in the MAC in 2003. He also coached Jason Babin, a first round draft pick of the Houston Texans, while at Western Michigan.

Prior to Western Michigan, Harper spent four seasons as an assistant in the SLC helping Northwestern State and McNeese State to three playoff appearances in four years. During his tenure at both schools, Harper coached the 2002 SLC Defensive Player of the Year, Roy Locks (Northwestern State) and an AP All-American (Jake Morrison).

Harper was the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for Scott Stoker at Northwestern State in 2002 when the Demons posted a 9-4 record and earned a I-AA playoff spot. The Demons were first in the SLC in total defense in 2002, giving up only 276.6 yards per game.

Harper also spent a season as the defensive coordinator at Southwest Missouri State in 1997 and served an earlier stint as the defensive line coach at Western Michigan in 1996. He spent four seasons as the defensive line coach at Southwest Missouri State from 1992-1996.

Following a four-year playing career at Clemson, where the Tigers won three ACC Championships, Harper began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at North Carolina under Mack Brown and later served two seasons as a graduate assistant for coach Lou Holtz at Notre Dame. He coached in the 1991 Orange Bowl and the 1992 Sugar Bowl with the Fighting Irish.

Harper and his wife, Marcie, are the parents of a son, Michael (1). :thumbsup:

[TexasTerror]

Not too surprising...

They moved pretty quickly and I think SFA's admin was pretty happy with the direction their program seemed to be heading in. They have a fairly young group of players in place with a great deal of SLC experience.

Best of luck to SFA, but you folks just are going to have to continue losing to SHSU... :)