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Posted: Dec 18, 2017 7:43 AMUpdated: Dec 19, 2017 8:27 AM

Lee Blankenship - New Football Coach at Bartlesville High

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Evan Fahrbach

Bartlesville High School has found its new head football coach.

BHS announced on Monday morning that Lee Blankenship will be the new head coach of the Bruin football program. Blankenship, who is 31 years old, had previously been at Beggs in Class 3A for the past five seasons. He was hired by the Demons in 2013.

This is Blankenship’s third stop as a head coach, all in Oklahoma – he was the head coach at Gore in 2011-12.

Overall, Blankenship is 60-24 as a head coach with seven years of experience. Blankenship says he is quite impressed with the city of Bartlesville and the community itself. 

This past season Blankenship guided Beggs to the 3A state finals. The Demons finished at 13-2 with a 14-7 loss to John Marshall in the State Championship game. It was the first appearance in a state title game for Beggs in 40 years. Bartlesville High Athletic Director Ryan Huff says that Blankenship is a program builder. 

Blankenship is a cousin of former TU head coach, and current Owasso High head coach Bill Blankenship. He played quarterback collegiately as a walk on at the University of Oklahoma in the mid-2000s and for one season at East Central University.

The hiring of Blankenship means that Kyle Ppool is no longer the head football coach. Ppool had been serving as interim head coach since week no. 2 of the 2017 season. Ppool was named interim head coach after former head coach John McKee resigned his position.

In a statement Ppool was thankful for the opportunity to act as head coach. He applied for the full-time job, as well.

“No matter the results of a beautiful fall Friday night, these guys exemplified what is best about Bartlesville: love, compassion, grit, and pride.  And now they must do the same again, embrace change and attack every day with purpose.  I’ve seen their heart and determination, and I know they will do great things.  I hope that the coaching staff brought value to the 2017 season in the most important way, molding great men off the field.  I may not be the guy that will take this program into the future, but I’m so happy and thankful for the chance to have led this group even if just for a short while.”

Huff says he will always be thankful for Ppool helping out the football program in a time of need. 

Blankenship will be officially introduced during a press conference sometime the week after Christmas. 

Blankenship says he thinks 6A-II creates an opportunity for the Bruins to have consistent success. 

Photo courtesy of Blankenship's Twitter Account - @CoachLeeBlank

Full conversation with Ryan Huff about the hiring of Lee Blankenship 


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