| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 17, 1938 Wadena, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1956–1959 | Concordia–Moorhead |
| 1962 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1964 | Toronto Argonauts |
| Position(s) | Halfback, linebacker, placekicker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1963–1968 | Concordia–Moorhead (assistant) |
| 1969–2000 | Concordia–Moorhead |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 217–102–7 |
| Tournaments | 1–1 (NAIA playoff) 5–0–1 (NAIA Division II playoffs) 2–4 (NCAA D-III playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2 NAIA Division II (1978, 1981) 11 MIAC (1969–1970, 1974, 1978–1981, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995) | |
| Awards | |
| NAIA Division II Coach of the Year (1981) MIAC Player of the Year (1959) 4× MIAC Coach of the Year (1980–1981, 1986, 1995) | |
| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 2007 (profile) | |
James Monroe Christopherson (born February 17, 1938) is an American football player and coach. He played professional football for the Minnesota Vikings in 1962 and was the head coach at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota from 1969 to 2000. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in July 2007.
He has a wife (Sandra (Sandy) Christopherson) and two children: A son, Reid and a daughter Heather.
Christopherson coached the Cobbers for 32 seasons, from 1969 to 2000. During that time he amassed a 217–102–7 record. He helped guide the Cobbers to NAIA national championships in 1978 and 1981 and won 11 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) titles during his tenure.
When Christopherson retired in 2000 he was third in wins among active NCAA Division III coaches. He was also fifth in winning percentage among active Division III coaches with more than 15 years of experience and 16th in winning percentage among all active Division III coaches. He was also among an elite group of coaches who have coached for over 30 years at the same school.
Christopherson, who played for the Minnesota Vikings for two seasons,[1] is the first player or coach from Concordia to receive the college game's highest honor. He became only the second player or coach from the MIAC to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.[2]
During his tenure at Concordia, Christopherson guided 16 players to All-American honors. He also produced over 120 athletes that were named to the MIAC All-Conference Team, including Barry Bennett, Sr. and Barry Bennett, Jr.
As a player for the Cobbers, Christopherson was the team captain in 1959 and was named the MIAC Most Valuable Player during that season.
In addition to coaching football, Christopherson also taught sailing at Concordia.
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concordia Cobbers (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1969–2000) | |||||||||
| 1969 | Concordia–Moorhead | 10–1 | 7–0 | 1st | L NAIA Championship | ||||
| 1970 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–2–1 | 6–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1971 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–3 | 4–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 1972 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–3 | 4–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1973 | Concordia–Moorhead | 5–5 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 1974 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–2 | 5–2 | T–1st | |||||
| 1975 | Concordia–Moorhead | 5–4 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 1976 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–3 | 5–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1977 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–2 | 5–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1978 | Concordia–Moorhead | 11–1 | 7–1 | T–1st | W NAIA Division II Championship | ||||
| 1979 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–3 | 6–2 | T–1st | |||||
| 1980 | Concordia–Moorhead | 8–2 | 7–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1981 | Concordia–Moorhead | 11–0–2 | 8–0 | 1st | T NAIA Division II Championship | ||||
| 1982 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–4 | 5–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 1983 | Concordia–Moorhead | 5–6 | 4–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1984 | Concordia–Moorhead | 4–5–1 | 3–5–1 | T–7th | |||||
| 1985 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–3 | 7–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1986 | Concordia–Moorhead | 11–2 | 9–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division III Semifinal | ||||
| 1987 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–3 | 7–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1988 | Concordia–Moorhead | 9–2 | 8–1 | T–1st | L NCAA Division III First Round | ||||
| 1989 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–2–1 | 6–2–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1990 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–3 | 7–2 | T–1st | |||||
| 1991 | Concordia–Moorhead | 3–6 | 3–5 | T–7th | |||||
| 1992 | Concordia–Moorhead | 7–2–1 | 6–2–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1993 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–4 | 6–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1994 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–4 | 6–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1995 | Concordia–Moorhead | 8–2–1 | 7–1–1 | T–1st | L NCAA Division III First Round | ||||
| 1996 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–4 | 6–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1997 | Concordia–Moorhead | 8–3 | 7–2 | T–2nd | L NCAA Division III First Round | ||||
| 1998 | Concordia–Moorhead | 4–6 | 4–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1999 | Concordia–Moorhead | 6–4 | 6–3 | 5th | |||||
| 2000 | Concordia–Moorhead | 4–6 | 4–5 | 6th | |||||
| Concordia–Moorhead: | 217–102–7 | 181–79–4 | |||||||
| Total: | 217–102–7 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||