D.J. Harper
Encyclopedia
Damon "D.J." Harper is a running back
for the Boise State University "Broncos" football
team.
, lettering in football three times and track and field twice. He was a three-time unanimous first-team all-district (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
) pick, team captain twice and team MVP once. He was named Houston Chronicle
Player of the Week, Texas High School Athlete of the Week and finalist for Houston Touchdown Club. As a senior he rushed for 1,570 yards and 21 touchdowns on 212 carries with 18 receptions for 160 yards. He finished his high school career with 3,900 total yards. After high school, he attended Boise State on a football scholarship.
at the Hawaii Bowl
. He finished the year with 6 touchdowns, 376 rushing yards on 87 carries, all career highs. He also had 3 receptions for 13 yards.
Ducks, he had 19 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, in addition to a 33 yard rush. In week 2 against the Miami (OH)
RedHawks, Harper rushed 13 times for 89 yards and a touchdown, with a rushing long of 32 yards. In week 3 at the Fresno State Bulldogs, Harper rushed 12 times for 107 yards and a touchdown through most of the game. However, during the game he suffered a season ending ACL injury, derailing the leading rusher for Boise State's season. He finished the year with a career high 6.5 yards per rush. He was later granted a medical redshirt, leaving him with 2 years of eligibility remaining in his career.
Cowboys, Harper rushed 11 times for 59 yards and a touchdown. Through 2 games, he averaged 9.3 yards per rush, with 15 rushes for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns. During the 3rd game of the season, against visiting Oregon State, Harper again suffered a season ending ACL injury.
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Boise State University "Broncos" football
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
team.
High school career
Harper was a two-sport letterman at Cypress Creek High SchoolCypress Creek High School (Harris County, Texas)
Cypress Creek High School, also known as Cy Creek, is a public secondary school located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. Cypress Creek, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District....
, lettering in football three times and track and field twice. He was a three-time unanimous first-team all-district (Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District is a school district in northwest unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States...
) pick, team captain twice and team MVP once. He was named Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
Player of the Week, Texas High School Athlete of the Week and finalist for Houston Touchdown Club. As a senior he rushed for 1,570 yards and 21 touchdowns on 212 carries with 18 receptions for 160 yards. He finished his high school career with 3,900 total yards. After high school, he attended Boise State on a football scholarship.
Freshman Season
During Harper's freshman year on the Boise State team, he had the sixth-best rushing season by a freshman, and the fourth-best by a true freshman, with 376 yards and five touchdowns, despite missing the last two regular season games. He became the first Boise State true freshman since 1988 to rush for more than 100 yards in a game, when he gained 153 yards and a touchdown at Fresno State. He scored a touchdown for the team in their game against East CarolinaEast Carolina Pirates football
The East Carolina Pirates is a college football team that represents East Carolina University . The team is currently a member of the Conference USA, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association .The Pirates have won seven conference championships and...
at the Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii Bowl
The Hawaii Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii since 2002. Typically played on either Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, the game matches teams from either...
. He finished the year with 6 touchdowns, 376 rushing yards on 87 carries, all career highs. He also had 3 receptions for 13 yards.
Sophomore Season
During Harper's 2nd season at Boise State, he received less carries in a crowded backfield that featured running backs Ian Johnson, Jeremy Avery], and Doug Martin. The highlights for his sophomore campaign include a 2 touchdown performance against Louisiana Tech and 67 rushing yards on just 7 carries. He finished the season with 55 carries for 265 yards and 4 touchdowns.Junior Season
Prior to the season, D.J. Harper was labeled as the fastest player on the Boise State Broncos football team with an astounding 4.34 40 yard dash time. During Harper's junior season at Boise State in 2009, he received many more carries than in previous years, mainly due to the departure of Ian Johnson for the NFL, and Doug Martin moving to defense. In week 1 against the OregonUniversity of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
Ducks, he had 19 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, in addition to a 33 yard rush. In week 2 against the Miami (OH)
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
RedHawks, Harper rushed 13 times for 89 yards and a touchdown, with a rushing long of 32 yards. In week 3 at the Fresno State Bulldogs, Harper rushed 12 times for 107 yards and a touchdown through most of the game. However, during the game he suffered a season ending ACL injury, derailing the leading rusher for Boise State's season. He finished the year with a career high 6.5 yards per rush. He was later granted a medical redshirt, leaving him with 2 years of eligibility remaining in his career.
Redshirt Junior Season
Harper came into his second junior season low on the depth chart, despite his surge in the off-season to rehab a knee injury sustained in a game in the previous season. In week 1 against the Virginia Tech Hokies, Harper rushed 4 times for 80 yards and a career high 71 yard rush for a touchdown. In week 2 against the WyomingUniversity of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
Cowboys, Harper rushed 11 times for 59 yards and a touchdown. Through 2 games, he averaged 9.3 yards per rush, with 15 rushes for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns. During the 3rd game of the season, against visiting Oregon State, Harper again suffered a season ending ACL injury.
External links
- D.J. Harper bio at nmnathletics.com
- D.J. Harper stats at espn.com
- D.J. Harper recruit page at rivals.com