Brinkley retires as Newport Harbor’s football coach

Jeff Brinkley, one of the most successful high school football coaches in the history of Orange County, has retired after 32 years as Newport Harbor’s coach, said a source close to the situation on Tuesday.

Brinkley went 244-130-3 overall with the Sailors, leading them to the CIF Southern Section championship game eight times, winning it three times, in 1994, 1999 and 2005. His 244 wins rank No. 5 all-time in the county.

Brinkley, 65, who coached in Norwalk for eight seasons before he came to Newport Harbor in 1986, has an overall record of 273-177-7. The 273 wins are the 19th most in California.

Last year, the Sailors went 2-8 overall and 2-3 in the Sunset League, missing the playoffs for the third straight year. Newport Harbor lost its first eight games in 2017, marking the program’s worst start.

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