Hall of Fame head coach Bill Blankenship returns to sideline for Owasso high school

Blankenship is back for a secont stint as the head coach of the Rams

Bill Blankenship returns to Owasso after one year of retirment / High School on Si

Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame coach Bill Blankenship will be back on the sidelines for Owasso High School, the school announced on Tuesday.

After retiring in 2023, Blankenship returns to the Rams after head coach Antonio Graham resigned to take another job, according to News on 6.

KTUL reported that Graham will take the head coaching position at Tulsa Union High School, his alma mater.

Ram Family,

Owasso Athletics is excited to welcome back Head Coach Bill Blankenship to lead the Owasso Ram Football Program. We are thankful for Coach Graham's 8 years of service and wish him and his family the best.#CHAMPIONS | #RamPride pic.twitter.com/MHUq5tjV5H

— Owasso Athletics (@OwassoAthletics) December 10, 2024

During Blankenship's tenure as Owasso head coach, the Rams won state championships in 2017 and 2019. He has a career record of 275-86 and six state titles over 34 years in coaching high school football.

Blankenship coached at Tulsa Union for 14 years before leaving for a job at the University of Tulsa. He then took a job at Fayetteville High School on Arkansas, where he won a state championship, before taking the Rams' job in 2017.

“I want to first express my gratitude to Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates and Athletics Director Zach Duffield for trusting me with this amazing opportunity," Blankenship told KJHR. "I also want to thank my family, especially Angie, for their support of my return to coaching. Eight years ago, I came to Owasso because of many long-term personal relationships and because it was clear that this community is special. Those are still factors that lead me to accept this opportunity today. While I certainly enjoyed my first effort at retirement, I missed the day-to-day involvement with our student-athletes and seeing them develop as young men. I’m excited to be home once again and I can’t wait to get started.”

In 2024, the Rams made it to the Class 6A-1 State Championship, but they fell to Bixby 43-42.

---