FHSAA rules on 8 players, allowed to play in 2025 except at Gadsden County

Before the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Committee on Appeals, eight Gadsden County (Fla.) players, who were ruled ineligible last week, plead their case in hearing at Lively Tech in Tallahassee.

According to WCTV’s Alison Posey, all eight players were ruled by the FHSAA’s Committee on Appeals by a 4-2 vote eligible to play this 2025 high school football season. The caveat, though, is they can play at any FHSAA member school, with the exception of Gadsden County.

Per Posey’s thread on X, formerly known as Twitter, Gadsden County plans to appeal Tuesday’s decision regarding the eight players.

So in conclusion, all eight athletes who were previously ineligible are eligible to play at any FHSAA school except Gadsden County High School. @WCTV https://t.co/cr44VenAuU

— Alison Posey (@AlisonPosey14) August 5, 2025

According to Posey, Gadsden County said to the committee that the forms for all eight players were turned in by a non-traditional school known as Tallahassee International Academy (TIA), where each of the student-athletes are attending as non-traditional students (not attending the school they play football for).

A lawyer speaking on behalf of the first of the players said to the committee that a gentleman by the name of Harrison Smith, who is associated with TIA, had advised to place a past date of June 23rd on the signed form, which wasn’t available until July. One committee member responded and said it was a falsification by notary.

“I don’t think this young man did anything wrong… we have a form signed and dated earlier than was signed… that’s what has me torn with this… this to me doesn’t look truthful… I’m not sure where to go with this,” an FHSAA committee member said during the hearing according to Posey.

Gadsden County superintendent Elijah Keys said per Posey, that Smith saying he didn’t know how to do the forms was untrue, stating that he had dealt with handling forms (EL12) for athletes all over the county.

At the end of the 20 minutes for the first athlete, the committee ruled by a 4-2 vote that they would allow the student-athlete eligibility this 2025 season to play football, with the exception being Gadsden County.

Tuesday’s hearing stems from the state’s recommendation/ruling last week that eight players and head coach Russell Ellington were all suspended for the 2025 season, with Gadsden County being fined $21,500 due to a number of FHSAA violations.

The FHSAA sent a sanctions letter to Gadsden County that they had violated the following: Not reporting non-traditional student-athletes, student-athletes submitting forms with falsified information or participating with incomplete forms, and players participating in summer activities without completing the non-traditional student registration process.

One Gadsden County player has already publicly announced he has left the program is 2024 starting quarterback Landon Dougherty, who threw for 2,151 yards and 27 touchdowns last year for the Jaguars. Dougherty is now at 4-time state champion Godby High School in Tallahassee.

Ellington has gone 18-7 in his first two seasons as the Jaguars’ head coach and led the team to the Class 2A state championship game last year. This season’s team is headlined by a handful of FBS prospects, such as Arkansas commit Daylen Green, USF commit Lorenzo Barnes and South Alabama commitment Zech Hall.

The Jaguars embattled head coach posted a public letter on X last week regarding the suspensions, fines:

Jaguar Nation:

In just two short years as Head Coach of the Gadsden County High School football team, we, together with our players, families, students, administration, and supporters, have built a culture grounded in integrity, hard work, and commitment to winning the right way. We’ve achieved this by investing in the incredible talent and heart that already exists within our community.

Recently, you may have heard that the Florida High School Athletics Association issued preliminary findings of registration irregularities involving eight Gadsden County High School football athletes during the concurrent football season. As a result, the association has recommended a one-year suspension of the players, and me. While I desire to continue coaching this year, these young men’s ability to play high school football in their final season is most important.

This recommendation is being appealed and will likely be overturned because the allegation of irregular registration is not the result of actions taken by the student athletes, me, or Gadsden County High School Officials.

That’s why I stress the word preliminary. Neither the affected players nor I can respond or provide context regarding the investigation. I believe deeply in due process, and I remain hopeful that the school, the players, and I will be allowed to share critical information that can resolve or at least mitigate the situation fairly.

To our supporters and the entire Gadsden Jaguar community, I ask that you continue to stand with us during this uncertain time. Just as I teach my players to give their all from the first snap to the final whistle, we will continue to fight not just for a game, but for justice, fairness, and the futures of the young men who have worked so hard to earn their place on this team.

Until the final horn sounds, we will not give up.

The Jaguars are coming off a banner 2024 season in which they finished 12-2, reaching the 2A state championship and finishing second to Cocoa.

Gadsden County is currently ranked No. 12 in the Florida Top 25 preseason rankings and are slated to open the 2025 season up against Georgia’s Tift County on Aug. 22. The Jaguars are also supposed to play national power East St. Louis on Sep. 6 on the road.