San Marcos football receives three-year probation from UIL, potential postseason ban still looming

AUSTIN, Texas — The San Marcos football program has been placed on a three-year probation by the University Interscholastic League — the governing body for most Texas high school sports — with a potential postseason ban still looming ahead.

During a hearing with the UIL's executive committee Monday morning, the UIL slapped the Rattlers football program with a three-year probationary period following a series of recruiting violations in the lead up to the 2022-23 school year.

Additionally, the UIL issued public reprimands to Rattlers' assistant coach Earl Anderson and San Marcos athletic director/head football coach John Walsh.

The UIL's executive committee also reserved the right to revisit a potential two-year postseason ban pending the results of future UIL hearings regarding the eligibility of transfers to San Marcos High School.

"Nobody on my staff recruited these kids," Walsh told the UIL executive committee.

In late August, the District 27-6A district executive committee — which comprises six athletic directors representing each school in that district — recommended San Marcos receive a two-year football postseason ban, effective immediately, for allegedly recruiting players to transfer for athletic purposes.

San Marcos CISD superintendent Michael Cardona released the following statement regarding the District 27-6A DEC's decision on Thursday, Aug. 25:

"The 27-6A District Executive Committee (DEC) made a recommendation to issue a two-year postseason ban on our SMHS football program. The DEC also recommended that multiple student-athletes be ruled ineligible for the 2022-2023 season with a second recommendation to ban the ineligible student-athletes for an additional two years due to allegations of recruiting," Cardona said in a written statement. 

"At no point did any SMCISD coach or staff member recruit any of the student-athletes that were ruled ineligible."

The recruiting allegations  stem from the 27-6A DEC — which represents Cibolo Steele, Converse Judson, New Braunfels, San Antonio East Central San Marcos and Schertz Clemens — ruling that several incoming transfers to the Rattlers' football program should be ruled ineligible.

A group of players, who played middle school football together and were enrolled at various high schools scattered throughout Texas, transferred to San Marcos but were ruled ineligible for competition, Walsh told the San Marcos Daily Record in August.

Walsh told the UIL on Monday that the Rattlers' football program welcomed 12 incoming transfers for the 2022-23 school year.

Those incoming players, who didn't move but transferred, came to San Marcos from a number of different area schools including Converse Judson, Canyon Lake, Jourdanton, Schertz Clemens, San Antonio Madison, San Antonio Sam Houston, San Antonio Wagner and Wimberley.

During Monday's hearing, the UIL reviewed evidence that was presented during the District 27-6A DEC's meetings.

Based on a collection of emails between parents and coaches and photos showing the players in questions using San Marcos facilities, the district executive committee concluded that there was recruiting activity involved by both the school and players involved.

The 27-6A DEC recommended that 16 San Marcos student-athletes be ruled ineligible for UIL competition — 11 of whom came from the same AAU team — after transferring for primarily athletic purposes, as well as a public reprimand for San Marcos CISD officials and a two-year playoff ban for the Rattlers' football program.

"It's hard for me to believe that nobody (from San Marcos CISD) knew that they were all together, and that 11 of them were coming to San Marcos High School," Sundown ISD superintendent and chair of the UIL's executive committee Mike Mother said.

"The preponderance of evidence tells me there was something that happened."

Section 409 of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules states that recruiting "is not only a violation by the student who has been recruited," but also "the school and/or school district personnel who recruited the student."

UIL rules and regulations also state that the burden of proof regarding eligibility rests with individual students. In other words, players appealing their eligibility are considered ineligible by the UIL until proven otherwise.

The UIL's executive committee concluded Monday's hearing by leaving the door open to revisit the District 27-6A DEC's recommended two-year playoff ban for the San Marcos football program, which would go into effect immediately.

The UIL executive committee will make that determination following the presentation of additional testimony during individual appeals for eligibility among the incoming San Marcos transfers.

The San Marcos CISD school board has a closed session meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday evening to address the UIL executive committee hearing.

The Rattlers finished with a 5-6 record last season in District 26-6A and reached the bi-district round of the 6A DII playoffs, where they lost to Austin Vandegrift 52-14.

San Marcos (2-3) kicks off its District 27-6A tenure later this week against Schertz Clemens (3-2) in their district opener at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Toyota Rattler Stadium in San Marcos.

This story will be updated throughout the day.