Joe Harper (born c. 1936) is an American football coach and former player. He is the offensive quality control coach at California Polytechnic State University. Harper served as the head football coach at Cal Poly from 1968 to 1981, at Northern Arizona University from 1982 to 1984, and at California Lutheran University from 1990 to 1995, compiling a career coaching record of 131–95–4. He led the 1980 Cal Poly Mustangs football team to the NCAA Division II Football Championship. Harper rejoined the Cal Poly Mustangs football program in 2011.