A Texas high school football powerhouse, Argyle Liberty Christian, faces the very real possibility of losing their entire season, including an undefeated district run, tonight. The TAPPS executive board is meeting to decide the eligibility of wide receiver Jace Johnson, and if they rule against him, the team could be forced to forfeit games, potentially ending their playoff hopes altogether. This is the kind of drama that just rips your gut out.
What Went Down: The ‘Follow the Coach’ Rule
The whole mess boils down to TAPPS’s “follow the coach” rule and Argyle Liberty Christian wide receiver Jace Johnson. Johnson transferred from Abilene Cooper before the 2026 season, and documents obtained by *The Dallas Morning News* raise serious questions about his prior involvement with assistant coach Antonio Griffin. See, Griffin also runs something called Lionhearted Elite 7-on-7, and it looks like there might have been a connection there that violates TAPPS rules. Last week, a district executive committee actually recommended that Johnson be ruled ineligible and Griffin get suspended for the rest of the season. Tonight, the big guns at the TAPPS state executive board are making the final call on Johnson’s eligibility, and potentially Griffin’s suspension too.
An Unbeaten District Record on the Chopping Block
This isn’t just some run-of-the-mill high school team we’re talking about. Argyle Liberty Christian is an absolute force. They’re 8-2 overall this season and went a perfect 6-0 in district play. Johnson, their second-leading receiver, played in at least six games, including four of those crucial district victories. If he’s ruled ineligible, all those wins he played in could just vanish. This program isn’t new to winning, either. They snagged back-to-back state titles in 2023 and 2024, and even made it to the state quarterfinals last season. This year, they were once again a favorite to win the TAPPS Division I state championship under first-year head coach Josh Martin, who took over after Jason Witten went to Oklahoma’s coaching staff.
Liberty Christian was set to host Austin St. Michael’s in a state quarterfinal this week. But with the TAPPS board meeting tonight, their entire season, an 8-2 overall record, and that pristine 6-0 district run could just vanish. This is gut-wrenching for a program that’s been a state title favorite, and now they just have to wait.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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