Higbee out as Clinton head coach after eight seasons

Higbee out as Clinton head coach after eight-year run

CLINTON — Clinton Public Schools has parted ways with head football coach John Higbee, ending an eight-year run that saw the Red Tornadoes return to the top of Class 4A and add to one of the state’s most decorated traditions.

Higbee finished his Clinton tenure with a 65–30 record from 2018–2025, a stretch highlighted by a Class 4A state runner-up finish in 2020 and a state championship in 2021. His early years on the sideline helped restore Clinton to the big stage and added another gold ball to a program long associated with deep playoff runs.

This season, Clinton never fully found its footing. The Red Tornadoes finished 4–7 overall and, on the field, went 5–2 in District 4A-1, a mark that initially had them sitting second in the district race. An OSSAA ruling later adjusted the final standings and dropped Clinton to fourth, sending the Red Tornadoes on the road to Tuttle in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs, where their season ended with a 51–6 loss.

Higbee’s time as head coach capped a much longer association with Clinton football. Before taking over the program in 2018, he spent multiple seasons on staff as an assistant during earlier playoff runs, then left for a head-coaching stint at Purcell before returning to Clinton to lead the Red Tornadoes.

Over eight seasons, Higbee guided Clinton to consistent postseason appearances, a blue trophy, and a return to relevance in one of Oklahoma’s most competitive classes. As the Higbee era closes, Clinton now turns its attention to finding the next coach to lead the Red Tornadoes into a reloaded Class 4A.