Buford forfeits two football wins for using ineligible player
Buford forfeited victories over Banks County and West Hall on Monday for the use of an ineligible player, the GHSA announced.
The player, who was not named, did not have the required units of credit to be eligible academically. Buford reported the incident to the GHSA.
The player participated only in two plays in each game, one a 63-0 victory over Banks County on Sept. 28, the other a 61-0 victory over West Hall on Oct. 10.
Buford’s record falls to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in Region 7-AAA. The forfeits put North Hall (6-1, 4-0) in the lead in 7-AAA and put five teams with 2-2 records: Buford, Dawson County, White County, Banks County and West Hall.
If North Hall loses no more than one game, North Hall will win the region. Buford has won region titles 10 of the past 11 seasons, failing only in 2009, when the Wolves still won a Class AA state title.
In a press released issued Monday afternoon, Buford stated that its athletics department discovered last week that the player’s name had been inadvertently left off a required GHSA eligibility form.
”Upon checking student records, it was determined that the football player did pass the required classes last semester; however, was not on track for graduation and did not have the total number of Carnegie units required to be eligible for athletic participation,” the press release stated.
The forfeits now represent 25 percent of the games lost by Buford since Jess Simpson became coach in 2005. Simpson’s record, formerly 102-6, is now 100-8.
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141 comments Add your comment
Hubert Green
October 22nd, 2012
6:26 pm
I’m sure Milton offered those players, a, um, yeah, a name of an apt complex, and, a chance to workout, and ah, um, a great gym, and a national schedule, and good academics, and a ah a good coach and playing for championships, wow that is just horrible! Anybody care to guess what is going on at Wheeler, Norcross, et al?
Jacketaxe
October 22nd, 2012
6:33 pm
Some Buford folks call people “haters” , how does that make you feel ? Just because they want to see Buford lose games doesn’t imply hate. Wonder why.
Corso Kool Aid
October 22nd, 2012
6:45 pm
Not so fast my friend….North Hall is legit, so don’t write Buford into #2. I’ve seen them both play and I think North Hall takes them, which would likely drop U of Buford to #3 and the Dawson-White winner to #2.
Just remember, you can’t spell Buford without UFO, which means there is some shady stuff going in that district.
Faith
October 22nd, 2012
6:59 pm
Has anyone said good job to the admin for doing the right thing. At least someone has a little ethical behavior.
humbug
October 22nd, 2012
7:13 pm
If he was in only one play in each of the two blowouts he didn’t do much to affect the games. They should throw him off the team simply because they don’t need him.
Just a Fan
October 22nd, 2012
7:15 pm
Once again no one is paying attention to the report on athletic transfers published earlier this year.They are so convinced that the city schools and private schools are the culprits that they cant face the real facts.The unfounded accusations are the most lame-class envy must have spilled over into high school football.
JRM
October 22nd, 2012
7:56 pm
For those of you bashing Buford get real! I went there so go there and actually learn what’s going on… Parents want there kids to go there to get to the sports…so who cares about that! Buford players are committed that’s why they succeed! Maybe if other schools had committed team players they might get on Buford’s level. Yes they might have used some player not academically able, but atleast they admitted it and came forward… Buford isn’t a cheater, all the coachs and players have their heart and soul put into all their sport of choice…
For those of you saying Buford is a Cheater…. GIVE ME PROOF!! This one doesn’t court because they had the guts to come forward and forfeit these games! If they wanted to cheat they could have went and changed grades around and made him eligible, but no they didn’t do that!
Columbia Blue
October 22nd, 2012
8:02 pm
I would like to know how many QUALITY FOOTBALL PLAYERS transfer to Buford during or after their ninth grade year. I personally believe the recors would prove that many players transfer to Buford.
Region 7-AAA
October 22nd, 2012
8:12 pm
Being a North Hall fan, I hate to see this happen to any school, especially one in the same region as my team because that is just going to make us look like unworthy region champs. But I strongly thought we could have won region this season without help and we were on track to do that.
LakeDawg
October 22nd, 2012
8:21 pm
North Hall can still win the region “on the field” by beating Buford. Should be a great game.
WILDHAWG2012
October 22nd, 2012
8:46 pm
Well to me it will make for some great football games with Buford traveling on the road at some pretty stiff comp in the 2nd and 3rd round. So we know how good they at home in the playoffs but on the road will test their metal but its Buford so they still will be a threat to win it all.
Rizzo
October 22nd, 2012
8:56 pm
@From Off:
Where are you getting those “facts” about government homes, etc?
Don’t you think if these “facts” we’re true, they’d have investigated by now?
Most of the students I know don’t like the strictness of the school day at Buford, but it produces results academically and athletically.
Mighty Mighty Wildcats
October 22nd, 2012
9:53 pm
I thought we were the only ones that recruited, and we havent done so since the 90’s, hence no SC’s in Winnersville.
Intersting
October 22nd, 2012
10:11 pm
Guess we will see just how good North Hall is on Nov 9. Glad to hear the confidence you have in your team and I look forward to a good game. This “incident”, whether you spin it as a gotcha opportunity or an honest admission really is simply blogging fuel but should certainly make the playoffs a bit more challenging and interesting. My knowledge of the coaching staff and the players at Buford tells me that the focus has become lazer sharp and could possibly be the trigger these guys need to pick it up a notch and pull the “family” closer together for the playoff run……….. good thing the game is played on the field and the blogs are left for us has beens and ESPN analyst wanna be’s ………. lol
Rizzo
October 22nd, 2012
10:13 pm
Good insight Intersting.
Fred
October 22nd, 2012
10:26 pm
@grayram said “100-8 ..is pretty good, And even Camden i believe falls short of Bufords titles.”
then
@Camden74 said “grayram…..How does Grayson measure up?”
I said it was a compliment to Camden’s team and @Camden74 took offense to that. Sheesh man, you need to get that chip of your shoulder. Neither I nor grayram said *anything* that was denigrating in any way to Camden. You are all over the blogs claiming your team is all that and a bag of chips. Many people are saying you are the team to beat in 6A this year. It looks a lot like grayram was acknowledging that and your recent record. If that bothers you, then look at the records. Buford has 8 state titles, Camden has 3. His statement is true. Camden has more recent titles than Valdosta or Lowndes. It is natural to look at recent results to compare against. Grayson only has 1. Why would anyone compare 8 titles against 1? I certainly wouldn’t and I’m pretty sure grayram wasn’t either.
Oh, and I can put a smiley at the end of my comment as well.
Really now
October 22nd, 2012
10:37 pm
I know for a fact that Buford in the past have recruited players outside their district.
Intersting
October 22nd, 2012
10:43 pm
Oh that’s original ……. The smoking gun !!! C’mon Really, elaborate please
Intersting
October 22nd, 2012
10:44 pm
And have you released this smoking gun to the GHSA so they can investigate these heathens from Buford …………… lol
My dad is a tv repairman. I can fix it.
October 22nd, 2012
11:44 pm
Both things are true is 100% dead on with observations 1 and 2. Not so sure about #3
My dad is a tv repairman. I can fix it.
October 22nd, 2012
11:49 pm
BTW, Buford will crush North Hall by at least three touchdowns. For sure, write it down and dont look back. Its a wrap
Alex
October 23rd, 2012
12:05 am
Yep, that Buford crowd is a bunch that just does not get it and how the world views there little fish bowl. You got Boss Hog up there building monuments to himself at taxpayer expense. You got everybody name Burge, Beard, Reed, Wilson and Smith employed one place or another through nepotism. You have a school full of teachers not smart enough to be anything but lazy teachers where the rest of their family is employed. Cap it off with the only thing that matters in the Buford City School System is football and sports. They spend like crazy on fields and equipment but cannot educate the children as well as they should. Dexter Wood is an enemy of education. Banks Bitterman is just a plain moron. But hey, all the butt heads are going to elect themselves to the stupid Buford Sports Hall of Fame! Idiots!
Alex
October 23rd, 2012
12:07 am
@ Intersting….you friggin moron – cannot even spell. Hey, Christie Thomas! Nuff said on cheating and recruiting.
buford
October 23rd, 2012
12:18 am
@Alex you are probably the one that complained about buford praying and having preachers come to the school that are now not allowed there anymore. If I remember correctly buford academics have scored higher than most other gwinnett county schools, I think you are a figgin moron and buford beats your team and you just cant handle it.
Camden74
October 23rd, 2012
12:26 am
Fred……Why would anyone compare 8 titles with 3? Pat Grayson on the back, they need it more than Camden does…..
High School announcer
October 23rd, 2012
1:04 am
Just a thought…I wouldn’t be so sure Buford will “crush” North Hall. I did the North Hall game Friday and this team will be tough to beat. They are quick and very fundamentally sound. AND if North Hall can somehow put a great game together and beat Buford…the winner of the White County/Dawson County game would then be #2 (if they take care of business against the struggling teams), and Buford would be #3.
NTH
October 23rd, 2012
1:54 am
Hey my dad is a TV repairman … You apparently haven’t seen North Hall play this year and you’re statement is backed by who Buford has been in the past. Not this season. But even if Buford gets by with a win, who’s gonna be region champs and have the easiest road to the Dome? North Hall.
jw
October 23rd, 2012
6:30 am
Buford – another one of those high school programs that has always flown under the GHSA radar with the student eligibility stuff. When is the GHSA going to go after these districts that have a revolving door transfer system in place? Who was going to turn them in if they didn’t report the player?
Kind of silly that we have a governing body in place – GHSA and they do NOTHING to curb all the transfer and eligibility issues that are quietly swept under the rug each and every season. Step up and get high school sports in line – academically and athletically – PLEASE. Stop going after Bethlehem Elementary School and make a point with these powerhouse programs. If the schools see that you mean business, they will straighten up their acts.
Problem is – that will never happen – GHSA could care less about GEORGIA high school athletics. What a waste!
Recruit hell..
October 23rd, 2012
6:56 am
Just one thing to say… how many 300 lb offensive lineman in the State of Georgia? How many in Buford’s starting line up? Year after year I keep seeing 280 to 300 lb lineman at Buford. Other teams have never had one! That pretty much sums it up.
@jw
October 23rd, 2012
7:48 am
Coins my friend! The GHSA, sure they care…they care about “under the table” cash coming from
Yep! Those guys. But sometimes its a little hard to catch when it happens in a church.
Interesting
October 23rd, 2012
7:51 am
Ha Ha …. Where’s the love Alex ? I believe it is acually that us folks up here in Buford don’t really give a crap about what everybody outside of “our little fish bowl” think of us (and my last name is not one of the list you posted)
But it is certainly funny to see all you other fish flopping around our bowl looking in wishing you could swim a little !!! It’s obvious by your post that you have spent a little time “up here” because you seem to have it all figured out. Curious to know where your from as to compare schools…….. Sticks and stones Alex… Sticks and stones LOL
Ballhawk34
October 23rd, 2012
8:07 am
Buford recruits West Hall kids??? LOL!!! West Hall couldn’t beat the Buford 9th grade team. And Buford also has the best coaching staff in the state.
Ladyluckjc
October 23rd, 2012
8:09 am
Alex has issues.
Ladyluckjc
October 23rd, 2012
8:10 am
“Enemy of Education”? Really?
donk
October 23rd, 2012
9:03 am
we were winning back in the 70’s and 80’s… this is a legacy of success we play all of the public teams that show up and all of the private schools (that recruit) show up..all of you losers need to drink your daily dose of “haterade”
peace… donk.
Jefferson
October 23rd, 2012
9:06 am
Buford is not number #1 anymore.
Candytails
October 23rd, 2012
9:18 am
BUFORD…if you all had any stones at all you would step up to 5A football and compete with comparablely skilled teams. Cheating is when you recruit as a “public” school through loopholes in state laws and then play little bitty AA and AAA schools for championships.
No question your facilities are state of art. It’s just u play in a classification where you can not lose. Even when they take 2 wins away.
Man up an quit whinning.
Beat Buford or Die Trying
October 23rd, 2012
9:20 am
Buford is a charter school operating as a public. Either get with it or continue to hate.
Interesting
October 23rd, 2012
9:50 am
@candytails – I might ask the 5A and 6A schools to “Man Up” and play down (why I don’t know but anyway). We did play Gainesville (Thank Them for “manning up”) and unfortunately came up on the short end.
You cannot put a team on the schedule that won’t agree to it and the upper level class teams will not agree to even a home in home contract ……………. Sorry to disappoint, but maybe the pressure should switch to the large schools.
Question for you …. Of what benefit is it for a 5 or 6A school to play a 3A school ? I’m pretty sure that the coaches and kids would love to play up in the non region games.
Shay
October 23rd, 2012
10:03 am
To all the idiots saying they cheated, he played 4 SNAPS. So keep hating, Buford is still where you wish your kids went.
My dad is a tv repairman. I can fix it.
October 23rd, 2012
10:05 am
Im a buford backer or a north hall hater, but buford will trounce the trojans. I have seen both teams play. Here is why buford wins by 20+. Bufords ball control offense will keep ball away from norths ground n pound machine, ergo north wont run nearly as many offensive snaps as usual which is what north does to wear down the opposing defense. Also norths D wont be able to stop bufords offense which is getting better every game. Also north has a history of getting blown out by better teams. Couple that with the fact that Buford now feels like they have something to prove, watch out. It may be a 30 point blowout. Bank on it.
My dad is a tv repairman. I can fix it.
October 23rd, 2012
10:07 am
“im not a buford backer”. I have respect for both programs. North recruits too, just not to bufords level.
Fred
October 23rd, 2012
10:07 am
@Camden74 said “Fred……Why would anyone compare 8 titles with 3? Pat Grayson on the back, they need it more than Camden does….. ” Unbelievable! Two people from one of your competitors compliment your program talking about it in the top tier and you can’t see it for some unknown reason. That must not be a chip on your shoulder, more like a giant redwood. By the way, I do pat the program at Grayson on the back regularly as they have come a long way in a short time but not because they need it more than Camden does. Ah well, enough said on this topic.
lol
October 23rd, 2012
10:10 am
north hall won’t beat Buford. Sorry I’m not sorry
Interesting
October 23rd, 2012
10:10 am
I’m calling for Fred vs. Camden74 in a cage match !!!!!
Fred
October 23rd, 2012
10:15 am
@Shay – No, I am quite pleased where my kid went, thank you very much.
I don’t know and don’t really know where to look but to me the question should be how many kids playing football at Buford live in the city limits and what percentage of the team that constitutes. Then I would look at how many of the impact players live in the city limits and what percentage of the team that constitutes. That would probably answer the question about so called recruiting. Yes, I realize Buford has open enrollment with payment of the nominal tuition fees and anyone can legally choose to send their kid(s) there but to my mind, that makes them more like a private school that can and does recruit.
Interesting
October 23rd, 2012
10:37 am
I’m not sure you can call it recruiting when the kids and the parents are lining up at the door …… Maybe enlisting, but not recruiting. lol
I’m also pretty sure, with all of the proof I see many claiming to have, that if “the proof” was all forwarded to the GHSA, they might have looked into it and it seems from all of the post with proof that I see, it should be a pretty open and shut case against Buford.
And I am also pretty sure that if all this proof was documented with the GHSA, that it would be pretty difficult for them to take the “under the table” money that is also alleged quite freguently.
And I’m also pretty sure that if many of you that are smacking Buford around lived close enough to the University (LOL), that you to would probably sign your kid up if he (or she because it is not just a football program but a sports program) was a good athlete as it offers them a much better avenue to a scholarship.
I’m just saying …………………
Camden74
October 23rd, 2012
10:42 am
Fred….Never have and never will, care for back handed compliments. Give them to someone else.
Dman
October 23rd, 2012
10:58 am
Has anyone of you ever heard of smoke and mirrors?
Interesting
October 23rd, 2012
11:12 am
Do tell DMAN —- how they pulling that off ?