Former HBCU QB finds football home in the Bay Area

Courtesy of Bay Area Panthers

The Bay Area Panthers are bringing back a familiar face with the re-signing of former HBCU quarterback Felix Harper out of Alcorn State, who has been with the franchise for the past two seasons.

“We are thrilled to have Felix back with us. He is a full-field reader who’s confident and thoughtful about where he wants to place the football,” said Panthers Head Coach Rob Keefe. “He is capable of extending plays both inside and outside the pocket and is poised in the face of both physical and situational pressure.”

In 2024, Felix Harper played in nine games, completing 63 of 102 passes (62 percent) for 661 yards, with 11 touchdowns. He was the team’s third-leading rusher, accumulating 178 yards and seven scores. Harper made four starts and recorded three wins against playoff teams—two against San Diego and one at Vegas. In the victory over the Knight Hawks, Harper completed 15 of 20 passes for 169 yards, three touchdowns, in addition to racking up 68 yards on the ground and one score. On July 20 in San Diego, Harper led a second-half comeback with a scoring pass and a rushing touchdown during a 17-0 run that secured a 30-20 win for the Panthers.

The two-time All-American from HBCU Alcorn State is grateful for the opportunity and says the past two seasons have prepared him to be a major contributor.

“I want to thank Coach Keefe for bringing me back and believing in me as we take the next journey. Not everyone gets the opportunity to keep playing this game, and I want to be a leader for this team,” said Felix Harper. “I’ve made progress each year. Going into my third year, I’m definitely going to be ready to compete each and every day.”

About the Bay Area Panthers

The Bay Area Panthers are a professional indoor football team based in San Jose, California. They are a member of the Indoor Football League (IFL) and were to begin play in 2020 at Oakland Arena as the Oakland Panthers. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Panthers’ inaugural season was canceled and then the team withdrew from the following 2021 season. Before the 2022 season, the Panthers announced they would instead play their home games at the SAP Center in San Jose and were renamed after the Bay Area.

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