Newport Harbor to interview candidates for football coaching job next week
Newport Harbor High will be interviewing candidates for its head football coaching vacancy next week, said principal Sean Boulton via text on Friday.
Eight candidates are expected to interview for the job, said a source familiar with the situation. Boulton said he could not reveal whom the Sailors will be interviewing.
The new coach will take over for Jeff Brinkley, who retired on Jan. 23 after leading the Sailors for 32 years. Brinkley finished with an overall record of 244-130-3, making him the winningest coach in Newport Harbor history and his wins rank fifth all-time in Orange County.
When the Newport Harbor football coaching position opened last month, it did not come with a teaching job. When asked whether that was still the case, Boulton response was “it does not as of now.”
Boulton said Matt Burns, an assistant under Brinkley for 20 years, is the interim football coach. Burns teaches in the science department at the school, and he played for Brinkley in the 1990s.
Whether Burns, Newport Harbor’s defensive coordinator the last three years, applied for the football job or is interviewing for it, Boulton said he could not say because “that is confidential” information.
“I can tell you he is an incredible biology teacher!” Boulton said.
Burns was a member of Newport Harbor’s first football team to reach the CIF Southern Section championship game in 1992. Brinkley led the Sailors to eight section finals appearances, winning the title in 1994, 1999 and 2005. The last two championship seasons Burns was a member of Brinkley’s staff.
Get more of David Carrillo Peñaloza’s work and follow him on Twitter @ByDCP
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