2024 saw incredible football games in all the classes, but the coaching carousel saw major movement, specifically in the Tulsa metro area as within a span of two weeks, the Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso and Tulsa Union jobs opened up and were looking for new head coaches.
Antonio Graham was the head coach at Owasso after Bill Blankenship announced his retirement in 2023. While at the helm last season, he led the Rams to a 12-1 season and was one play away from dethroning Bixby, who had won seven straight State Championships. Owasso did beat Bixby in the regular season, but the Spartans beat Owasso 43-42 in overtime.
Two days before the Class 6A-1 title game on Dec. 4, Tulsa Union coach Kirk Fridrich began the domino effect by announcing his retirement. Fridrich was at Union for 18 seasons and won five State Championships, including four in a row from 2008-2011.
The following day, on Dec. 5, Jenks announced Keith Riggs had resigned from the Trojans after seven seasons. In those seven seasons, Riggs won two State Championships in 2020 and 2021. Jenk’s defensive coordinator Adam Gaylor is now leading the Trojans.
Less than a week after the 6A-1 title game, Graham left Owasso and took the Union job on Dec. 10. Graham’s movement to Union does make sense, as he is an alumni and played a major role in helping the Redhawks win a State Championship in 2005. Graham’s wife is an administrator for Union Public Schools and they also reside in the school district.
The exact same day, Owasso announced its next head coach. Believe it or not, Blankenship came out of retirement to coach the Rams. Graham played under Blankenship at Union and was the defensive coordinator at Owasso before taking over in 2024 when Blankenship retired.
Right down the road at Broken Arrow, Travis Hill returns as the head coach, where he spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator and helped the Tigers win Class 6A-1 in 2018. He went to Muskogee in 2020 as the defensive coordinator, and took over as the head coach in 2021. In 2023, he led the Roughers to the Class 6A-2 State Championship. Hill takes over for Josh Blankenship, who resigned on Nov. 26.
Dale Condict, who coached at Wagoner for 20 years and won six State Championships with the Bulldogs, takes over for Hill at Muskogee. Condict is a legend and had an unbelievable run at Wagoner. His journey began in 2005 and won 47 games in a row during the 2014-2017 seasons. Condict also coached Malcolm Rodriguez, who played linebacker at Oklahoma State University, and now plays in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions.
Kimes Gilbert is now the coach at Wagoner, who was the head coach at Chisholm for three seasons. Tulsa Booker T. Washington graduate Nate Goodman is now the head coach at his alma mater. Goodman graduated in 2004, and also has administrative experience, as he was the athletic director at Tulsa Central since 2020. Goodman takes over for Dan Bitson, who coached the Hornets for one season, and got them to the quarterfinals.
Poteau has found its new head coach, as Edmond Deer Creek assistant Jake Haynes looks to bring the Pirates back to being at the top of Class 4A. Before the 2024 season, Poteau had won its district six seasons in a row, and won the 2019 Class 4A State Championship. Verdigris did not win a single game last season, and Travis East left for Jay. Both teams are in Class 3A-4 and are looking for better seasons. The Cardinals hired Justin Morsey, who was the co-offensive coordinator at Owasso for eight seasons.
With all the coaching changes in the Tulsa area, several other schools saw coaching changes as well. Two Norman North assistant coaches are now head coaches at two of the Moore schools. Moore has hired Cameron Bennett and Southmoore has hired Brett Jones, who also is the President of the Oklahoma Coaches Association. Bennett replaces Greg Bryant, who was at the Lions for three seasons. Jones replaces Jake Monden and looks to improve the Sabercats, as they went 4-7 last season.
Former Blanchard coach Jeff Craig took the McAlester job. Craig was with the Lions for 18 years. While at Blanchard, he won two State Championships and takes over for Forrest Mazey. Lance Manning takes over for Blanchard after not coaching since 2014. Manning was the coach for Edmond Santa Fe from 2011-2014 and made the playoffs all three seasons. He also coached at Edmond Deer Creek and Norman North.
John Greenfield retires after 21 seasons at Davenport. Greenfield won the Class B State Championship in 2015, and were State Runners up in 2006 and 2011. Assistant coach Grant Powell is now the head coach, and looks to keep their 21 season playoff streak intact. Plainview has hired Scott Pratt after former coach Joe Price took the Garden City (Kan.) job. Pratt coached at Idabel for six seasons.
Chisholm found its new coach after Gilbert left for Wagoner. Former Enid head coach Cameron Conder is now the Longhorns coach. Enid hired Brad Cornelson, who had Division I coaching experience. Cornelson was the offensive coordinator at Sam Houston State University, and served as the interim head coach when K.C. Keeler took the Temple job. Cornelson helped the Bearkats win the New Orleans Bowl with a 31-26 win over Georgia Southern.
Up in the panhandle at Hooker, the Bulldogs have been state runners up the last two seasons, but Trevor Powers took the Liberal (Kan.) job. Powers was the coach for eight seasons, but Hooker assistant and alumni Tanner McBee takes over for the Bulldogs. Hooker is primed to make another run at the Class A-1 Gold Ball.
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