Earl Harvey

James Earl "Air" Harvey (born June 26, 1967) is a former American football player and coach. As the quarterback for North Carolina Central University during the 1980s, his team reached the quarterfinals of the 1988 NCAA Division II Football Championship. That year, he was in the top three for the Harlon Hill Trophy. His 86 passing touchdowns, 10,621 passing yards and 10,667 offensive yards remained as Division II records until the 1990s.

He played minor league football in 1989 before joining the Arena Football League in 1991. After playing a year each with the New Orleans Night and San Antonio Force, Harvey had a combined total of 531 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. From 1993 to 1994, he was the offensive coordinator for Virginia Union University. Leading up to the 2010s, Harvey was a high school football coach in New Jersey and North Carolina. Outside of football, Harvey was hired by Schwan's Consumer Brands and Ryder. He joined the CIAA Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

Early life and education
Harvey's birth occurred in Fayetteville, North Carolina on June 26, 1967. While at Douglas Byrd High School, he alternated between basketball and football. Harvey's high school football team called him Pooh. He planned to "be bagging groceries or in the army" instead of going to college. For his post-secondary education, Harvey declined to play basketball for High Point College and North Carolina Wesleyan College.

Harvey considered playing football at Fayetteville State University before he chose North Carolina Central University in 1985. That year, he began playing as a quarterback and was nicknamed Air. In 1988, his team reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Football Championship. With North Carolina Central, Harvey consecutively had the most passing yards and offense yards from 1985 to 1988. With North Carolina Central, Harvey continued to hold the career record in both categories during 2022.

In the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Harvey led the passing and offense yards in all four of his seasons. After setting CIAA career records in both yard categories and touchdown passes, he continued to hold these records during the 2010s. For the NCAA Division II, he set seven freshman season records during 1985. During September 1988, Harvey made Division II career records in offensive yards and passing yards. The following month, he set the career passing touchdowns Division II record.

Harvey had 86 passing touchdowns upon ending his college football career in 1988. He also had 10,621 passing yards and 10,667 offensive yards. Harvey's passing yards and passing touchdowns remained as the Division II record until the 1990s. He also continued to hold his offensive yards record until 1994.

Career
In the late 1980s, Harvey went to the Canadian Football League and did not receive a spot with the BC Lions. During August 1989, he was a backup quarterback in the Minor League Football System for the Charlotte Barons. The following month, he was playing in the Mason Dixon Semipro League as a quarterback for the Triangle Cardinals. By November 1989, he was also working for a car dealer as a security guard in Durham, North Carolina.

Harvey attempted to join the World League of American Football in 1990. As a member of the Arena Football League, Harvey was on the New Orleans Night in 1991 before joining the San Antonio Force in 1992. Some of the positions Harvey played included linebacker and quarterback. With the two teams, Harvey had a combined total of eight receiving touchdowns and 531 receiving yards. From 1993 to 1994, he was the offensive coordinator for Virginia Union University's football team. By 1994, Harvey ended his playing career when he did not receive a spot on the Arizona Rattlers. In the mid 1990s, he started working for Schwan's Consumer Brands in New Jersey. He also was a high school football coach before he lived in Fayetteville during the mid 2000s.

During 2008, Harvey played for the Fayetteville Guard. Harvey created the Level Up Football Development Camp in 2010. While there, Harvey became the football head coach at Sandhill Titans High School in 2017. In Fayetteville, he primarily was a high school football coach before he joined Sandhill. Harvey had 14 wins and 8 losses before he left the Titans in 2018. While remaining at Level Up Football in 2020, he had gone to Morrisville, North Carolina and was hired by Ryder.

Honors and personal life
Harvey was on consecutive All-CIAA teams from 1985 to 1988. During this time period, Harvey was the CIAA's Offense Player of the Year in 1985 and shared the award in 1988. As an All-American, he was on the Kodak Division II team in 1988 and the Associated Press Little All-America team during 1989. Harvey was in the top three for the 1988 Harlon Hill Trophy.

For North Carolina Central, Harvey joined the Alex M. Riveria Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. During 2009, he was named one of their Centennial 100 Sports Legends. Harvey joined the CIAA Hall of Fame in 2016. He also became part of the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2022. He has one child and is married.