Hinkle Excited About Hire

This is the press release from the LHS athletic office.

Following the Wednesday morning resignation of Wade Standley as the Liberal Redskin football coach, Liberal High School athletic director Scott Hinkle proudly announces the hiring of Cliff Abbott as the new head coach football coach at Liberal High School. Coach Abbott will follow Wade Standley, who was named the new head coach at Norman North High School.

“Coach Abbott has the attributes I look for when hiring a new head coach at Liberal High School” Hinkle stated. Hinkle went on to say “Cliff brings with him a passion for Liberal Redskin football and a level of commitment and loyalty that I expect and demand. We have had some very good football coaches at Liberal High School, however, very few live, breathe, and embrace Redskin Football quite like Cliff Abbott. What sealed the deal in hiring Cliff Abbott as our new head football coach at Liberal High School were two things; the look in his eyes, and the tone in his voice.”

Cliff is a 1980 graduate of Liberal High School where he had an outstanding high school football career. After graduating from Liberal High School, Cliff went on to play football at the University of Tulsa and graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management/Marketing. Cliff had a brief stint in the NFL with the NY Giants, and later returned to Tulsa University as a graduate assistant earning his Masters Degree in Sport Administration. Abbott was a member of the University of Tulsa coaching staff from 1986-1997, serving as strength and conditioning coach, special teams coordinator, defensive line coach, linebackers coach, and secondary coach at various times throughout his tenure at Tulsa. Coach Abbott’s most recent coaching stints included coaching at West Middle School during the 2008 and 2009 football seasons, and coaching at Liberal High School during the 2010 football season.

Hinkle concluded the press release with the following remarks “It is truly a great day to be a Redskin. Knowing that one of our own who has lived by this motto his entire life will be leading our football program into the future is a great feeling. I am excited about the future of Angry Red Football and Coach Abbott leading that charge!”