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    Former Trabuco Hills football coach Jim Barnett, a three-time CIF champion, dies at age 76
    • February 25, 2023

    Former Trabuco Hills football coach Jim Barnett, who started the program in the mid-1980s and guided the Mustangs to three CIF-SS championships in 10 years, died Thursday in Montana, his son, Rory, said.

    Barnett, 76, died of complications from an ulcer, Rory said of his father, a native of Hamilton, Montana.

    Barnett coached Trabuco Hills starting in 1985, and by the end of his fourth season, the Mustangs were CIF champions. They won Division VIII in 1988, 1989 and 1993 and were the runner-up to Laguna Hills in 1991.

    Trabuco Hills claimed four Pacific Coast League titles under Barnett.

    He also tutored well-known Orange County quarterbacks such as John Barnes (UCLA), Pat Barnes (Cal), David Lowery (San Diego State) and Tim Manning.

    The Mustangs’ offenses were known for playing at an up-tempo pace under Barnett.

    Rory said his father had a passion for coaching.

    “He loved football. He loved it more than anything,” Rory said. “He was player’s coach. He loved just talking to them whether it was football or life. … He touched a lot of people.”

    In Barnett’s final season in 1994, the Mustangs finished second to Mater Dei in the South Coast League and reached the Division 1 semifinals, where they fell at top-seeded Bishop Amat.

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    Barnett finished with a record of 82-38-3 at Trabuco Hills.

    He later coached lower-level football at Santa Margarita. His resume also included serving as the coach of Long Beach Poly. He led the Jackrabbits to the CIF Coast title in 1980.

    Barnett’s legacy in South Orange County includes starting Daily’s Sports Grill in Rancho Santa Margarita in 1993.

    Rory said a celebration of life is being planned for his father for later this year.

    ​ Orange County Register 

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