Texas High School Head Football Coach Placed On Leave

Possible investigation headed for Cedar Hill football program

Cedar Hill Longhorns players wait to run on the field before the game against the Bishop Gorman Gaels at Longhorn Stadium. Bishop Gorman won 44-14. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

A Texas high school football coach has been placed on leave and a coordinator has resigned as a possible investigation into the program heats up.

Cedar Hill High School head football coach Nick Ward was placed on leave by the school district, according to a report by The Dallas Morning News. Marcus Richardson, who served as the offensive coordinator for the program, has resigned from his position.

Multiple people with knowledge of the ongoing issues told the site that documents have been sent to the University Interscholastic League and the 11-6A district executive committee to possibly begin an investigation into the program.

Documents Made Social Media That Show Issues With State Laws

The UIL is the primary organization that governs athletics for public and some private schools in the state of Texas for high school.

A document was posted on social media that alleges three individuals were coaching during both Cedar Hill practices and games who did not meet the eligibility requirements outlined by the UIL rules, Texas Education Code and state law.

Names of those individuals were removed from the documents, as it alleges the three were not full-time employees of Cedar Hill and had not completed the required UIL or state certifications and training necessary to coach high school student athletes.

Nick Ward Has Hired Lawyer, Plans To Fight Decision

Of the three, one of them is a full-time substitute teacher in the Cedar Hill Independent School District. However, substitute teachers, even full-time, are not classified as full-time employees.

Ward has hired an attorney to represent him and plans to fight the decision.

“Coach is not responsible for hiring, he is not responsible for background checks,” WL Marsaw said. “Responsible for hiring are the athletic director, the principal and the director of HR.

“(Ward) is going to vigorously defend himself and his reputation, and he eagerly awaits reinstatement back to his position as the head football coach at Cedar Hill High School.”

Nick Ward has Led Cedar Hill For Three Seasons

Ward recently completed his third season leading Cedar Hill, who finished 6-5 this past year. They reached the Texas high school football playoffs, losing to Killeen Harker Heights in the opening round.

In three years, Ward, a former defensive back at the University of Miami (Fla.), went 17-18 overall. He has also made coaching stops at Midlothian, Cleburne and North Mesquite, having served as the defensive backs coach at Cedar Hill from 2020-21.

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