He served as the head football coach at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas from 1992 to 1998, compiling a record of 46–32–2.
[2][3] In his high school senior season of 1964 for the Sulphur Springs Wildcats, Pearce was an all-district and honorable mention all-state linebacker selection.
[5][4] At Allen High School, Pearce was the district coach of the year three-times and produced four state rank teams.
In December 1991, Pearce received the head coaching job at Stephen F. Austin State University.
[11][12] Of 118 1-AA universities, Pearce was the only head coach, in the official The Sports Network poll, to have his team ranked in the top 25 every week for five consecutive years (1993-1997).
[2] Pearce finished his coaching career on Christmas Day 2002 with a Las Vegas Bowl win over New Mexico.
[2] After a short period at Rice University in 2006, where he served as the assistant head coach,[15] Pearce started his writing career.
[16] He also is an historical researcher on his family and author in many areas including a self-published book, Sulphur Springs football's "Pride of the Blue and Gold".
His crowning authorship was a book titled "A Private in the Texas Army" following his Dad's war years experience published in 2022.