Tom Harper (American football)

Tom Harper (c. 1933 – May 24, 1989) was an American football player and coach. Harper began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at University of Kentucky following his graduation in 1953. He also served as an assistant coach on the collegiate level at Eastern Kentucky, 1965; Oklahoma State, 1966-68; Wake Forest, 1969-71, Iowa State, 1974-75; North Carolina, 1976-77; Virginia Tech, 1978-80 and Clemson, 1981-89. He served as head coach at Wake Forest in 1972, finishing with a record of 2-9.

In a college coaching career that spanned nearly a quarter of a century Harper coached 20 defensive linemen who would go on to be drafted by professional football teams. In addition, Harper was defensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Sharks of the World Football League in 1973.

On May 24, 1989 Harper was found dead in a hotel room at a Holiday Inn near Savannah, Georgia. He is believed to have died in his sleep after suffering a heart attack. Harper who had served as assistant head coach and defensive line coach for the Clemson Tigers from 1981 to 1989 was in Savannah for a speaking engagement at the Forest City Gun Club. Harper checked into the hotel room at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday May 23, and was not seen again until his body was found by hotel staff who entered the room after he failed to check out.