Texas high school football coach suspended for two years due to rules violations

Dallas (Texas) W. W. Samuell high school football head coach Danny Cobbin has been suspended for two years due to multiple rules violations with his program, according to a report from Matt Stepp of DCTF.com.

The UIL’s state executive committee voted for the suspension, which allegedly has to do with player eligibility issues. Cobbin is accused of falsifying documents, allowing non-school employees to coach and submitting false residency documents on behalf of his players, per Stepp.

In addition to the two-year suspension, Cobbin was given a public reprimand, three years of probation and must appear before the UIL executive committee before he can coach again.

The allegations around the program began in October with emails that were submitted to the UIL about each of the violations that Cobbin was accused of.

A week later, the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) self-reported that five Samuell players were found to be ineligible to play for the team. As a result, the program forfeited each of its seven wins after starting the season 7-2. Cobbin was also placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

“Dallas ISD is committed to transparency, fairness, and accountability in all our programs, upholding the highest standards for our teams and students,” the district wrote in a press release at the time. “Following an internal investigation, the district discovered ineligible players on the W.W. Samuell High School varsity football team, which resulted in the cancellation of last night’s game against South Oak Cliff. We are ensuring strict compliance with UIL guidelines and will not tolerate actions that compromise the integrity of our athletic programs. Dallas ISD is committed to addressing this matter in full transparency and will take the necessary actions to protect the interests of our students and community.”

In January, Cobbin was found to have committed the violations related to falsifying documents and not visiting homes of the players to confirm they were eligible to play for the program. At the time, there wasn’t evidence of them using unsanctioned coaches, but at the meeting this month, the UIL committee proved that one of the team’s coaches was not in fact a school employee.

2024 was Cobbin’s first season with the program after being hired from Seagoville, where he had served as the program’s defensive coordinator.