School in Oklahoma dismisses state title-winning coach

The Clinton football program has 17 state titles in its history

The Clinton Red Tornado Bowl in Clinton, Oklahoma. / Tyler Lesperance

Clinton Public Schools in Oklahoma will have a new head football coach next season, noting a need for leadership change.

The school announced on Tuesday that John Higbee is out as coach after eight seasons at the helm of the Red Tornadoes’ program.

“This was a difficult decision and one not made lightly,” said Nathan Meget, Clinton superintendent. “We’re grateful for Coach Higbee's leadership, success and time and effort over the past eight seasons. It’s time for the Clinton High School football program to move forward in a new direction.”

Higbee compiled a record of 65-30 during his time with Clinton. He led the Red Tornadoes to a 13-1 mark and an OSSAA title in 2021. Clinton also had a state runner-up finish in 2020.

Clinton has captured 17 state crowns in program history, with eight of them accomplished between 2000 and 2021.

The Red Tornadoes recently concluded a 2025 season in which they went 4-7 and lost 51-6 to top-seeded Tuttle in the opening round of the OSSAA Class 4A District I playoffs.

Clinton had a rollercoaster campaign by starting 0-3, followed by a four-game win streak then losing four in a row.

The team was forced to forfeit its regular-season finale victory over Douglass after the OSSAA Board of Directors unanimously voted in favor of it in connection to a violation. The forfeit was due to an ineligible freshman reserve kicker playing seven seconds in the game.

Due to OSSAA’s decision, Clinton went from a second to a fourth seed in the playoffs and switched to a road game to start out. Before OSSAA’s ruling, Clinton had a first-round home playoff game.

According to Touchdown Friday Night, Higbee was a head football at Purcell in 2016-17 and won 10 games in that span. 

Higbee was an assistant at Clinton before taking the head coaching role. He also had coaching stints at Ada, Noble and Haltom (Texas), TD Friday Night reported.

Clinton Public Schools stated in the release that the process of choosing the Red Tornadoes’ next head coach will begin immediately.

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