Old Dominion head football coach Ricky Rahne announced a pair of additions to his coaching staff on Wednesday. Rahne added Justin Harper as tight ends coach and Eric Baumgartner as defensive quality control.
Harper comes to ODU after spending the previous four seasons as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Towson.
“Justin is a great addition to our staff,” Rahne said. “His personality, passion and in-region recruiting ties will be extremely valuable as our program moves forward.”
While at Towson, Harper helped Shane Leatherbury break the single-season school record for touchdowns and become a two-time All-CAA performer. Harper also helped the Tigers make the 2018 FCS playoffs.
Harper spent the 2017 season at Central State (Div. II, Ohio) coaching the wide receivers.
Prior to that, he was the wide receivers coach and academic coordinator at Virginia State from 2015-16 and became the interim head coach that spring, signing a recruiting class of 17 players, which included three all-rookie performers.
Harper began his coaching career at Lenoir-Rhyne leading the wide receivers from 2013-14.
A 2008 graduate of Virginia Tech, Harper was a four-year letterwinner for the Hokies at wide receiver, catching 83 passes for 1,338 yards and eight touchdowns. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and was on the Ravens from 2008-11. He played in the CFL for two years, seeing action for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and British Columbia Lions.
Baumgartner slides into the quality control role after spending the 2021 season as a defensive analyst for the Monarchs.
“Eric has proven to be an invaluable member of our staff,” Rahne said. “His work ethic and attention to detail will continue to help us play defense at a high level.”
Baumgartner joined ODU after a year at Northwestern-Saint Paul as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach. He began his coaching career at Northwestern-Saint Paul in 2012 coaching the offensive line and tight ends, and was promoted to inside linebackers the following year.
Prior to that, he spent a year as the defensive quality control coach at Iowa State.
Baumgartner spent five years at Malone University (Ohio), over time helping coach the linebackers, defensive line, and he was promoted to assistant head coach for his final two seasons with the Pioneers.
Baumgartner played four years at Northwestern-Saint Paul at tight/h-back and was a two-year starter and captain as a senior.
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