Argyle Liberty Christian, the presumed favorite in the TAPPS Division I football playoffs, has been tossed from the postseason for using an ineligible player. The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools executive board ruled Tuesday, Nov. 3, that the program broke the "follow the coach" rule. The playoff bracket has been pushed back a week.
The key facts:
- The violation: TAPPS found that a senior receiver who transferred in from Abilene Cooper played for a 7-on-7 team coached by Liberty Christian assistant Antonio Griffin the year before enrolling, per the Dallas Morning News' Greg Riddle.
- The coach: Griffin is Liberty Christian's defensive backs coach and runs the 7-on-7 program, Lionhearted Elite, according to the report.
- The knowledge piece: TAPPS said the school's athletic department leadership and football staff knew, or should have known, about the connection before the 2026 season began.
- The penalty: Liberty Christian must forfeit games and is out of the postseason entirely.
- The record: The Warriors were 7-3 overall and 6-0 in district play. They were set to host Austin St. Michael in the first round this week.
- The schedule: The eight-team Division I bracket and its opening round now start Nov. 14, a week later than planned.
How we got here
Per the Dallas Morning News, a local district executive committee met last week and recommended that the state board suspend Griffin for the rest of the season and rule the player ineligible. The state board's ruling went well past that.
The rule at the center of this is a TAPPS bylaw. A student who transfers to another member school is ineligible for varsity competition in a sport for one year if a coach in that sport at the new school coached or trained the athlete in the prior year. The bylaw casts a wide net: AAU, select and club teams, 7-on-7 and 6-on-6, private lessons, skills sessions, and fitness or personal training all count.
So yes, the offseason 7-on-7 circuit, which parents already treat as a second job, can now cost a whole team its season. If your kid's travel coach also coaches at a school you're eyeing, the transfer paperwork just got a lot more interesting.
Before this season, Liberty Christian was coached by former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro tight end Jason Witten, who has since become Oklahoma's offensive coordinator.
Source: USA Today