Bishop Montgomery (Calif.) fires head football coach after forfeit

Bishop Montgomery has fired head coach Ed Hodgkiss after the Knights were forced to forfeit their Week 1 matchup against Mater Dei for not having enough players.

The team’s roster of available players was limited after several Knights were suspended for their role in a benches-clearing altercation against St. Louis a week earlier.

According to a X post by Los Angeles Times’ Eric Sondheimer, the school released an email statement announcing the change:

Dear Bishop Montgomery High School Community,

We write today to share that Mr. Ed Hodgkiss is no longer employed at Bishop Montgomery High School.

We are grateful for his years of dedication and service to our students and community. We keep him and his family in our prayers, asking God to bless them in this next chapter.

School and Archdiocesan policy require that personnel matters remain confidential, but should you have concerns, please contact the main office, and the school administration will respond as appropriate. Please be assured of our commitment to all our families through this transition, as we continue to determine next steps for fulfilling the roles that Mr. Hodgkiss served.

Thank you for your understanding, your trust, and your continued partnership in the mission of Bishop Montgomery.

Bishop Montgomery’s forfeit to Mater Dei is the latest in a series of tumultuous moments for the Knights’ football program. More than 20 of the team’s incoming transfers were ruled ineligible over the offseason by the CIF Southern Section for breaking Bylaw 202, which is listed by the association as ‘Penalty for Providing Incorrect, Inaccurate, Incomplete or False Information.’

The problems didn’t stop once the season started, either. Though the Knights were very short-handed, they still made the trip to Hawaii to open up the season against powerhouse St. Louis. Tempers flared on both sides throughout the game, a 34-27 St. Louis victory, leading to a bench-clearing confrontation in the game’s final seconds.

Hodgkiss was named Bishop Montgomery’s head coach in 2010 and was in his 16th season as the Knights head coach, compiling a record of 84-69-1. He led the Knights to league titles in 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

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