TAPPS Removes Liberty Christian From Division I Playoffs
The Texas private school association cited an ineligible player and a transfer's prior 7-on-7 participation under a Liberty Christian assistant coach.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Football
The TAPPS Executive Board on Tuesday removed Liberty Christian football from the Division I playoffs after determining the program used an ineligible player during the 2026 season. The school also forfeited all of its district wins.
Why it matters
The ruling ends Liberty Christian's playoff run in a season where the program's top prospect has been prominent. It also shows how TAPPS enforces eligibility rules, including what athletic and coaching staff are expected to know before a season begins.
The Executive Board's determination rests on a finding that a transfer student-athlete had participated on a 7-on-7 team coached by a Liberty Christian assistant before enrolling. The 44-7 record Jason Witten compiled as head coach provides context for the program's recent success, but the board's review did not address whether any additional players were affected.
The players
TAPPS (Texas Private School Athletic Association)
The Texas Private School Athletic Association is the statewide body that governs playoff competition and eligibility for private schools in Texas.
Liberty Christian School
Liberty Christian School is a private school in Argyle, Texas, whose football program has won recent TAPPS state championships.
Jason Witten
Jason Witten is a former NFL tight end who coached Liberty Christian for five seasons before becoming tight ends coach at Oklahoma.
Cooper Witten
Cooper Witten is a Class of 2027 five-star linebacker at Liberty Christian and the son of former head coach Jason Witten.
The details
TAPPS found that athletic department leadership and the football coaching staff knew or should have known of the transfer's prior participation before the 2026 season. As a result, Liberty Christian forfeited its district wins and is no longer eligible for the Division I playoffs.
Timeline
2024: Liberty Christian won a TAPPS state championship.
2026 season: Liberty Christian used the ineligible player and forfeited district wins.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: TAPPS Executive Board removed the team from the playoffs.
Season Trajectory
The ruling removes a program that won TAPPS state titles in 2023 and 2024 from the Division I bracket, reshaping the playoff field for the remaining contenders. It also illustrates how TAPPS eligibility enforcement can retroactively cost a team its playoff position and district wins.
The removal eliminates Liberty Christian from the Division I playoff bracket and forfeits its district wins, which changes the seeding picture for other district teams. Fantasy and recruiting observers tracking Cooper Witten, who has 103 tackles and 18 tackles for loss this season, will need to account for the program's postseason exit.
The takeaway
Eligibility rules apply to every roster member and to the coaches who supervise them, so programs should verify transfer histories before the season begins. Fans following Texas private school football should watch how TAPPS applies similar findings in future seasons.
Further reading
For more on how playoff eligibility works across the state, see Texas Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by On3.
