Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Newport Harbor has selected alumnus Matt Burns as its football coach, Sailors principal Sean Boulton announced  Thursday.

“Newport Harbor High School proudly announces the appointment of Matt Burns, a distinguished alumnus from the class of ’94, as the school’s 18th head football coach,” a school press release stated.

New football coach at Newport Harbor pic.twitter.com/WwuEA7oJjR

— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) January 18, 2024

Burns served as the Sailors’ defensive coordinator last season, according to the team’s website. He coached under coach Peter Lofthouse, who recently left Newport Harbor to take over the program at El Toro.

Burns teaches science at Newport Harbor.

He played offensive line and linebacker for legendary Sailors football coach Jeff Brinkley.

After his playing career at Newport Harbor, he served as an assistant under Brinkley.

Newport Harbor finished 5-6 last season, falling to Trabuco Hills 24-21 in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 4 playoffs. The Sailors’ season included defeating Corona del Mar 21-20 for their first victory in the Battle of the Bay rivalry since 2012.

For the next two seasons, Newport Harbor will play in the Bravo League as the county shifts to leagues based on Calpreps’ power ratings. The league includes Villa Park, Yorba Linda, Corona del Mar, San Juan Hills and Tesoro.

Please send football news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on X or Instagram

Related Articles