The young season at Bishop Montgomery HS (CA) has come to a screeching halt, and one of the latest developments seems ripped right from a previous NCAA investigation into an SEC program.
For starters, before a game had even been played five players were initially deemed ineligible by the CIF Southern Section office for falsifying information, disqualifying them from varsity competition at any CIF school for up two two years. An additional fourteen players were denied eligibility for transferring for athletic reasons, bringing the total number of ineligible players to 19.
Those 19 players are prohibited from competing in any sports at Bishop Montgomery, or any CIF high school until the fall of 2027.
Then, during a week 1 loss to St. Louis (HI), several players were involved in a postgame altercation, forcing them to forfeit their week 2 game against Mater Dei, leading to additional multiple suspensions.
As a result of all those missing players, the small private school decided it was best to fold their entire varsity football season, sparking the dismissal of head coach Ed Hodgkiss and the resignation of school president Pat Lee.
A recent piece by Sports Illustrated shares that the school had as many as 24 football transfers, a number so outrageous that CIF Southern Section commissioner Mike West paid a visit to the school to meet with their administration in August.
Those conversations, and subsequent investigation, led to the discovery of a high-profile "Money Man" who was providing cash to players and their families in exchange for their transfer.
A few weeks ago now, Brett "Money Man" Steigh went on a popular LA-based podcast and spilled the tea on how he's been fronting cash for players at high profile programs including St. Bernard's, Narbonne (which may sound familiar as a group of coaches banned together in a boycott against playing them at the tail end of last season, sparking an investigation), and Bishop Montgomery.
When asked how much he has given to high profile prospects, Steigh (a noted gambler) shared he's been known to hand over as much $50,000 - on top of their rent - provided "the kid is nice, and a pro about it."
"It might sound like a lot of money, right? But when you win $300,000 on a bet...that's my money for the year to pay the guys."
With the season cancelled, it begged the question of what would happen to the rest of the players? Would they be allowed to transfer without penalty of sitting out or having to change addresses?
According to an email sent by Bishop Montgomery high school principal Michele A. Starkey to select football families this week, CIF rules dictate that players in the program are eligible for a "hardship transfer." That rule, often referred to by coaches in California as a "hardship waiver" grants student athletes a free transfer due to unforeseen circumstances, or situations outside of the family's control but in Bishop Montgomery's specific case, that hardship could be granted based on the football program being discontinued. Typically players would have to prove a change of residence, or be subject to a sit-out period without the waiver.
Starkey notes in that email that the CIF commissioner has assured him that the child's request to seek eligibility elsewhere will be approved.
At least four players, including Texas A&M commit Caleb Tafua, have decided their talents to Arizona, where they will play at Mesa HS.
Florida high school football was in the headlines last week for a high profile quarterback's transfer after helping his team win a state title, and being immediately eligible at his new nationally ranked program, but this high school story out of California is even wilder.
A "Money Man," reminiscent of Tennessee's bag man allegations under Jeremy Pruitt, plus the equivalent of the transfer portal, make much of this storyline ripped right from the SEC or major college football.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for all the latest.