J . C . Harper J . C . Harper ( born December 13 , 1965 ) is an American football coach and former player . He is currently the head football coach at Stephen F . Austin State University , a position he has held since December 2006 . Playing career . Harper played defensive tackle at Clemson University from 1985 – 88 , while his father Tom Harper served as defensive coordinator . He was a member of three Atlantic Coast Conference championship teams and four bowl teams . Clemson also finished in the final top 20 of the AP poll in 1986 , 1987 and 1988 . Coaching career . Harper was promoted to head coach of the Stephen F . Austin Lumberjacks from his position as defensive coordinator in December 2006 . He was the third head coach in four seasons . Starting from scratch , Harper led the Lumberjacks to a Southland Conference ( SLC ) championship in just his third season and then repeated as SLC champions in his fourth season . It was the first back - to - back championships in school history . 2009 season . The 2009 season saw the program ' s first conference title in ten years , a berth in the NCAA FCS playoffs and a top - 10 national ranking . It was the second - biggest single - season turnaround at the NCAA FCS level , and the fourth - best turnaround at the NCAA Division I level . Following the 2009 campaign Harper was recognized for his efforts being named the SLC Coach of the Year , and finishing second by only two points for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year award . It was the first time in ten years a Lumberjack squad had earned the SLC Championship trophy , and it was the program ' s first trip to the FCS playoffs since the 1995 season . Harper led SFA to double - digit wins for only the fourth time in school history , and the first time since its playoff run during the 1995 campaign . Throughout the course of the record - setting 2009 campaign , the Lumberjacks recorded victories over three nationally ranked opponents , including two ranked among the nation ' s top 10 . The 2009 campaign saw 20 Lumberjacks named to the All - SLC teams , including five first - team selections . Along with the all - conference teams quarterback Jeremy Moses was named SLC Player of the Year , defensive end Tim Knicky was named defensive player of the year and corner back Andre Banks received league newcomer of the year honors . The accolades didn ' t stop at the conference level . Twelve Lumberjacks earned All - America recognition , including five first - team selections . 2010 season . The Lumberjacks posted a 9 – 3 ( . 750 ) overall record and won their second - straight Southland Conference title in 2010 . It marked the first time in conference history that SFA has won back - to - back conference titles . The ' Jacks recorded their second - straight top - 10 national ranking , and advanced to the NCAA FCS playoffs for a second consecutive season where they hosted Villanova . It was also the second - straight year that SFA led the nation in passing . The Lumberjacks dominated the All - SLC teams , placing a league - best 21 players on the all - conference squad , including nine first - team selections . Among the nine first - teams selections five earned All - America honors . Following the season SLC Player of the Year Jeremy Moses was named the 2010 Walter Payton Award winner , becoming the first player in school and conference history to receive the player of the year award , which came on the heels of a season that saw him become the conference ' s all - time leading quarterback and set a new NCAA FCS record for completions . Linebacker Jabara Williams became the second Lumberjack in the past three years to be drafted when he was selected by the St . Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL draft . It marked the third consecutive season that SFA has had a player either be drafted or sign a contract with an NFL franchise .