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NPS Board hires head football coach for Norman North High School
The Norman Public Schools Board of Education has voted to hire Brent Barnes to be the next head football coach of Norman North High School. The hire comes after an extensive two-month search and interviewing process by NPS, a process that resulted in considerable interest from candidates both in and outside of Oklahoma.
Barnes’ impressive, 13-year career as a successful football coach in Oklahoma includes the previous five years as NNHS’ offensive coordinator. Prior to coaching at NNHS, Barnes was an assistant coach at Tulsa Union High School from 2008-2010, at Yukon High School and in Arizona.
His accomplishments include coaching teams that have won three 6A State Championships and been a 6A State Championship Runner-Up. As well, his offenses for four of the last six seasons have led their respective classes in passing yards and won District Championships. And, in the last three seasons, his offenses have been Top 5 in 6A for points per game and yards per game, and his offenses have been No. 1 in 6A for passing yards per game.
As NNHS’ offensive coordinator for the last five years, he also has been the coach that has worked the closest with NNHS’ past three quarterbacks: Peyton Gavras (All-State selection); David Cornwell (ranked by ESPN as No. 2 quarterback in the nation and currently on athletic scholarship at the University of Alabama); and John Kolar (ranked by ESPN as the No. 3 quarterback in the nation and early enrollee of Oklahoma State University on athletic scholarship).
NPS Athletic Director T.D. O’Hara said that while the district facilitated a thorough search to find the next head football coach for NNHS, it was apparent the best candidate was already a Timberwolf.
“Coach Barnes has been associated with numerous successful high school programs and these experiences will benefit him greatly as he begins his journey as head football coach at Norman North,” he said. “He brings a tremendous amount of energy, enthusiasm and knowledge to the position and I look forward to him taking this football program to the next level.”
Wade Standley, who left NNHS to be assistant athletic director and head football coach for Ada, agreed.
“I have had the opportunity to see Coach Brent Barnes model leadership, character and perseverance in many high-pressure situations as a teacher and a coach in the five years we have worked together,” Standley said. “Coach Barnes has demonstrated strong leadership skills, focus and a definitive plan for success in helping us to achieve numerous goals. I have no doubt that he will be a great fit and do a tremendous job as the Head Football Coach at Norman North High School.”