FAYETTEVILLE -- Bill Blankenship, who won multiple state championships in Oklahoma and went on to be a Division I college head coach, is expected to be named the next head football coach at Fayetteville.
A source with firsthand knowledge of the situation said Tuesday the Fayetteville School Board will consider Blankenship for the post in a special meeting at 5 p.m. today. If approved, Blankenship will replace Daryl Patton, who resigned as Fayetteville's football coach May 12.
Bill Blankenship
AGE 59
BORN Spiro, Okla.
NOTABLE Graduated from Tulsa University, where he played quarterback from 1975-79. … Head coach at Spiro, Okla. (1986-89), Edmond (Okla.) Memorial (1990-91), Tulsa Union (1992-2005). … Assistant coach at Tulsa (2007-2010) and head coach at Tulsa (2011-14). … Compiled a 154-26 record at Tulsa Union, winning state championships in 2002, 2004 and 2005. … Was 24-27 in four seasons as Tulsa University head coach. … Spent 2015 season as consultant on football staff at Memphis.
The source asked not to be identified because the School Board hasn't yet approved Blankenship's hiring.
Blankenship, 59, won three state championships at Tulsa Union High School between 1992-2005. He compiled a record of 156-26, which included a 56-game home winning streak.
He was head coach at the University of Tulsa from 2011-14, finishing with a record of 24-27.
He coached at high schools in Spiro, Okla., and Edmond, Okla., and was an assistant coach at Tulsa from 2007-10 before being elevated to head coach.
Blankenship was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of the Fame in 2009.
In 2015, Blankenship served as a special consultant to head coach Justin Fuente at the University of Memphis. This spring, he was a volunteer assistant at Tulsa Booker T. Washington High School.
Attempts to reach Blankenship for comment were unsuccessful. Fayetteville Athletic Director Steve Janski said he would not comment until after today's board meeting.
"I worked with Bill for nine years, and I couldn't say enough about him," said current Union head football coach Kirk Fridrich. "The thing he taught me as a young coach is the relationships. He taught me about not just the relationships with the players, but the relationships with the community."
"He's just an outstanding man with great football knowledge. But the biggest thing that will set him apart is how he gives back to the community."
"It's my understanding (Fayetteville is) a great job," said Jenks, Okla., coach Allan Trimble, Blankenship's top rival during his time at Tulsa Union. "I know it pays well. I know they have some great players; they're in a good district.
"So if that's what it is, I would be excited to see (Blankenship) get back in it and get back into what he's really, really good at."
Patton, who was hired May 26 as head football coach at Bauxite in central Arkansas, resigned from Fayetteville unexpectedly, citing personal reasons. Benji Mahan, Fayetteville's offensive coordinator last year, has served as the interim coach since Patton's resignation.
Sports on 06/08/2016