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A high school football coach in the state of Alabama has been suspended for an upcoming playoff game due to his illegal snooping on a future opponent. Bryan Moore of Opelika landed the penalty after being caught on the sidelines of a game involving Hoover.
Opelika and Hoover are now set to face off in their state championship pursuit. Moore won’t be in attendance!
The head coach’s squad played last Friday in a win over Florence. The night before, Moore was spotted with media credentials on the field for Hoover’s matchup with Fairhope.
Scouting future foes in-person is not illegal according to the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Gaining sideline access via a state-issued pass designated for student media, however, is against the rules.
BREAKING: Sources tell me that Opelika HC Bryan Moore has been suspended by the AHSAA for the Bulldogs round 2 playoff game against Hoover.
Moore was seen on the sideline scouting at the Hoover Met last Thursday — while wearing a playoff credential intended for Opelika student… pic.twitter.com/nMpsKbhqjQ
— Simone Eli (@SimoneEli_TV) November 12, 2024
Unsportsmanlike behavior was cited in the violation, which is referenced in Rule 5, Section 3 of the Coaches Conduct bylaw. “A coach… found guilty of immoral or unsportsmanlike conduct may be disqualified.”
Bryan Moore was busted after a photo of his presence on the sidelines was published in a Birmingham-area outlet called Under the Lights. It’s since circulated throughout the state.
The high school coach is seen very clearly donning that media pass while holding a pen and binder for notetaking. Interestingly, it was Opelika who was improperly scouted earlier in the year, resulting in the suspension of a coach from rival Enterprise. In that case, illegal filming took place during a game against Dothan.
Opelika released a statement on the situation confirming Moore’s wrongdoing. “Opelika City Schools and Coach Bryan Moore respect the standards set by the AHSAA. While observing Hoover High School’s playoff game, Coach Moore used a media pass to access the field and take notes. Though he had no ill-intent, Coach Moore recognizes this was an error in judgement and accepts the suspension.”
Espionage has headlined the sport at the NCAA level over the better part of the last year due to Connor Stalions’ covert operation at Michigan. Stalions was accused of attending and filming future opponents during the Wolverines’ national championship run in order to gain access to signs and sideline calls.
Bryan Moore insists he wasn’t on-hand to gain an unfair advantage. Still, he clearly broke AHSAA rules. Opelika will now play its second-round playoff matchup against Hoover without its head coach. We’ll see if it makes a difference in the high school football game.