PCPS names Roland interim football coach

PONCA CITY — Ponca City Public Schools announced this week that they will be relieving two football coaches of duties and that Justin Roland will serve as interim head football coach for the remainder of the season if members of the Board of Education approve doing so at the November 13 meeting.

School officials have not named the two coaches and refuse to comment any further because it is an ongoing personnel matter.

School board meetings are placed on YouTube and can be viewed here.

Roland has been a football coach in the district for over a decade and has been the defensive coordinator since 2016. He is a 2004 graduate of Ponca City High School and the district’s head wrestling coach. 

“I feel very blessed to have this opportunity,” said Roland.

PCPS Athletic Director Joe Turner said, “Coach Justin Roland has been appointed as the Interim Head Coach of our football program. Justin is well respected and has a great rapport with our student athletes.” 

As an athlete,Roland began wrestling as a freshman and finished his senior year at a state champion. He was a member of two traditional state championships and two dual state championships. While playing football at Po-Hi, Roland was named All-District three times. After graduation, he went on to play for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami. where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American. After NEO, Roland continued his playing career at Kansas State University where he was a two-year starting linebacker. 

In addition, he was named to the honorable mention All-Big 12 team. 

He went on to play in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. In November of 2020 Roland was named interim head wrestling coach at Po-Hi after a coach was charged in district court with a felony. (see story)