UIL follows precedent in denying eligibility appeals of Colton Nussmeier, John Meredith III
· Yahoo Sports
The University Interscholastic League denying the eligibility appeals of two highly ranked recruits Thursday might appear as if it’s cracking down on high school transfers more than ever before.
But the decisions, which upheld rulings that four-star quarterback Colton Nussmeier and the nation’s second ranked recruit, cornerback John Meredith III, had transferred for athletic purposes, merely followed precedent.
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The UIL state executive committee denied 61 of 71 total student eligibility appeals and granted just four during the 2025-26 school year, while the remaining appeals were withdrawn, according to data obtained by The Dallas Morning News. The SEC, the highest governing body for Texas high school sports, upheld 85.9% of district executive committee decisions.
Two of the highest-profile recruits in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, now ineligible to play their senior seasons at their new schools, have heightened the awareness of those statistics.
“Our big push is community-based and education-based athletics,” Joe Martin, executive director of the Texas High School Coaches Association, told The News. “And that’s what we want it to be. It’s what it’s always been. Our state is built on community.”
The families of Nussmeier, who moved from Flower Mound Marcus to Denton Ryan, and Meredith, who went from Euless Trinity to North Crowley, both insist the athletes did not change schools for a competitive advantage, such as seeking more playing time or joining a stronger team to gain more exposure.
Most stakeholders want to protect the integrity of Texas high school sports through traditional means, but others have criticized the UIL for overreach and unfair practices. Families, more transient these days, don’t believe their child’s eligibility should be limited as long as they establish residence in a new school district and live in the designated attendance zone. The UIL has often ignored legal counsel representing families and gives power to local district executive committees, which often have inconsistent rulings on transfers, given that they’re made up of coaches and administrators from the schools in the same district to which the athlete is transferring.
Going to court could be a next step for either family, and Meredith’s attorney, Darren Heitner, posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that lambasted the UIL after the hearing Thursday. The athletes’ options could include going to a private school or leaving the state to play their senior seasons. While the UIL showed Thursday an athlete’s status doesn’t guarantee a favorable ruling, the body's policies could end up pushing some of the best talent out of public schools — or the state.
“UIL is a public school entity, so if you don’t like playing by the UIL rules, there’s other options out there,” Martin said.
Rulings inconsistent, depend on DEC
The UIL’s SEC denied the appeal from Nussmeier, a Georgia pledge who transferred to Denton Ryan from Flower Mound Marcus, by a 4-1 vote. Meredith, a five-star Texas pledge who transferred to North Crowley from Euless Trinity, had his appeal denied by a 3-2 vote.
Both athletes’ families said their transfers weren’t for athletic purposes. The Nussmeiers argued they moved for family reasons and wanted their son to be in a smaller-school environment with more diverse people. Denton ISD verified that Nussmeier is living in the Ryan attendance zone, where the family is leasing a residence while trying to sell their home in Flower Mound.
Meredith’s mother said they moved because she got remarried and North Crowley was a shorter commute from her new residence. She’s a peace officer, which gives her the opportunity to choose which school her son attends, according to UIL rules. The SEC conceded there was no residency issue.
An athlete’s fate often rests with the local DEC. In May, the committee for District 3-5A Division II voted 4-2 to clear junior quarterback Hayes Hackney to play for Argyle after the family moved from Prosper Walnut Grove in the offseason because of his father’s job.
“Sometimes our DECs vote, not according to the rule, but according to emotion, and that’s where we get in trouble,” Martin said.
Hard to beat the UIL
Heitner, described Thursday’s hearing as “absolutely corrupt” in his statement.
“Two of the 3 individuals who voted against our appeal expressed grave concerns with the testimony they were relying upon, but still ruled as they did,” it said.
“This case came down to one question: Did John Meredith transfer to North Crowley High School for athletic purposes, or did his family make a genuine, documented change of residence for reasons that have nothing to do with football? Three individuals deemed it was a football decision in the absence of any evidence whatsoever.”
Heitner said the family is considering its options, as are the Nussmeiers. Other families have sought legal action against the UIL previously, but it’s hard to win against the body.
“It’s their right to have an opinion and it’s their right to seek an attorney,” Martin said. “I don’t think UIL has ever lost a case.”
That dynamic has helped the UIL establish another precedent: Play by the rules or leave.