UIL Reprimands Richland Springs Football Coach
The UIL State Executive Committee issued a public reprimand and three years of probation to head coach James McIntyre after a college student participated in practice.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Football
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The UIL State Executive Committee issued a public reprimand and three years probation to Richland Springs head football coach James McIntyre, and suspended him for two games to be served in the 2027-28 school year. The punishment followed a finding that Richland Springs used a college student as a participating player during football practice in August.
Why it matters
The decision places the Richland Springs football program under probation as it heads into the playoffs, with the team ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 1A Division II. The case underscores that the UIL enforces eligibility and participation rules across Texas high school athletics, even for programs with a long championship history.
The UIL State Executive Committee imposed a three-year probation on both the coach and the athletic program, and a two-game suspension on McIntyre, with the football team itself spared any penalties. Richland Springs is ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 1A Division II and has won nine state titles in six-man football.
The players
James McIntyre
James McIntyre is the head football coach at Richland Springs High School in Texas, who received a public reprimand, three years probation and a two-game suspension.
UIL State Executive Committee
The University Interscholastic League State Executive Committee is the Texas body that governs high school athletic competition and handed down the disciplinary decisions.
Curtis Culwell
Curtis Culwell is a UIL official who warned that Richland Springs would face a move to shut down its athletic program if it returns before the committee within three years.
The details
The UIL found that Richland Springs used a college student as a participating player during football practice in August. Assistant coach Adrian Rosales also received a public reprimand and three years probation, and the Richland Springs ISD athletic program was reprimanded and placed on probation.
Timeline
August 2026: A college student was used as a participating player during football practice.
Friday, November 6, 2026: The UIL State Executive Committee issued McIntyre's reprimand, probation and suspension.
2027-28 school year: McIntyre's two-game suspension will be served.
Big Picture
The penalties follow a pattern of UIL State Executive Committee discipline, including Jerry Burkhart's three-year suspension for a recruiting violation in 2022 and Mike Watkins's school-year suspension for a recruiting violation last year. This case extends that record to participation rules during practice.
The two-game suspension for McIntyre will take effect in the 2027-28 season, so Richland Springs fans should track the program's schedule for that stretch. Probation terms may also affect how the program operates in the coming years.
The takeaway
Program-level probation can carry consequences beyond the individual coach, and readers following Texas high school football should watch how the UIL applies these terms over the next three years.
What happens next
McIntyre's two-game suspension will be served during the 2027-28 school year.
Further reading
For more high school coverage, see Texas Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Angelo LIVE!.
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