FHSAA makes ruling on 8 Gadsden County football players, allowing them to play in 2025 except at Gadsden County

Gadsden County reached the Class 2A Championship Game in 2024 before falling to Cocoa

8 Gadsden County football players eligible to play elsewhere for 2025, the FHSAA stated on Tuesday at Lively Tech in Tallahassee / Zilla Photo

According to WCTV-Tallahassee's Alison Posey, eight Gadsden County football players who were deemed ineligible last week, for allegedly breaking multiple Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) rules, were reinstated to play during the 2025 season, following a FHSAA hearing at Lively Tech in Tallahassee, on Tuesday.

Eight Players Have Eligibility Restored, But Not at Gadsden County

However, those players are only eligible to play if they transfer to another FHSAA school. They will not be permitted to play at Gadsden County in 2025.

So in conclusion, all eight athletes who were previously ineligible are eligible to play at any FHSAA school except Gadsden County High School. @WCTV https://t.co/cr44VenAuU

— Alison Posey (@AlisonPosey14) August 5, 2025

Gadsden County Hit with a $21,500 Fine and a One-Year Post-Season Ban

In addition, the FHSAA is fining Gadsden County $21,500 and issuing a one-year postseason ban, according to Posey's report.

The FHSAA committee, by a vote of 4-2, ruled that the eight players are eligible to play the upcoming 2025 football season at any school other than Gadsden County. The school still plans to go through an appeal process, according to Posey's reporting.

Star Quarterback Landon Dougherty Has Departed for Godby High School

One Gadsden County player has already left, and that is junior quarterback Landon Dougherty, who led the Jaguars to the 2024 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 2A title game last season, throwing for 2,151 yards, 27 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Dougherty announced earlier this month that he will be attending Godby High School, where the Cougars finished the 2024 season with a 7-4 record.

Gadsden County Head Coach Russell Ellington Remains Suspended

Gadsden County head football coach Russell Ellington will remain suspended for the 2025 season. Ellington in his first two seasons as the head coach at Gadsden County, Ellington has posted a record of 18-7, including a 13-2 finish in the 2024 season, where the Jaguars reached the Class 2A Championship Game before coming up short against Cocoa. This season's team is expected to be led by three-star senior linebacker Lorenzo Barnes (South Florida commit), senior linebacker Zech Hall (South Alabama commit), and three-star linebacker Daylen Green (Arkansas commit).

Last week Ellington released a statement on his social media regarding the allegations:

Jaguar Nation:

In just two short years as Head Coach of the Gadsden County High School football team, we, together with our players, families, students, administration, and supporters, have built a culture grounded in integrity, hard work, and commitment to winning the right way. We’ve achieved this by investing in the incredible talent and heart that already exists within our community.

Recently, you may have heard that the Florida High School Athletics Association issued preliminary findings of registration irregularities involving eight Gadsden County High School football athletes during the concurrent football season. As a result, the association has recommended a one-year suspension of the players, and me. While I desire to continue coaching this year, these young men’s ability to play high school football in their final season is most important.

This recommendation is being appealed and will likely be overturned because the allegation of irregular registration is not the result of actions taken by the student athletes, me, or Gadsden County High School Officials.

That’s why I stress the word preliminary. Neither the affected players nor I can respond or provide context regarding the investigation. I believe deeply in due process, and I remain hopeful that the school, the players, and I will be allowed to share critical information that can resolve or at least mitigate the situation fairly.

To our supporters and the entire Gadsden Jaguar community, I ask that you continue to stand with us during this uncertain time. Just as I teach my players to give their all from the first snap to the final whistle, we will continue to fight not just for a game, but for justice, fairness, and the futures of the young men who have worked so hard to earn their place on this team.

Until the final horn sounds, we will not give up.

The Jaguars are ranked No. 11 in the High School on SI Florida Top 25 preseason football rankings coming into the 2025 season.

Gadsden County is scheduled to kickoff the 2025 season, where they will travel to reigning Class 7A champion Venice in the preseason on Friday, August 15th followed by their season-opener on Friday, August 22nd, where they'll travel to Tift County in Georgia, who finished 2-8 in 2024.

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