Gwinnett Daily Post

The Shiloh football program will have to forfeit all of its wins from the 2011 season, more fallout from the short but dramatic tenure of former head coach Brian Montgomery.

The Georgia High School Association told Shiloh last month it would have to vacate the season after ruling the Generals used ineligible players. The Generals were 2-8 last year.

"That was the decision from the GHSA for the recruiting violations," interim Shiloh athletic director Mike Phillips said.

The investigation became public in April after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a first-person story by backup quarterback Wil Larimore, who transferred from North Atlanta after Montgomery, who had been North Atlanta's coach, was hired at Shiloh.

A sentence early in the story read, "when (Montgomery) took the head coaching job at Shiloh, he asked several of us to transfer." The line was enough to spark the GHSA inquiry.

The GHSA's by-law 1.72c states "A student-athlete transferring from one member school to another shall be ruled ineligible for one year because of 'undue influence' if it is proven that the player who played for a coach at a former GHSA school followed that coach when he/she moved to another GHSA school."

The investigation prompted Gwinnett County Public Schools not to renew Montgomery's contract and he later resigned on April 19.

"I think given the circumstances and the GHSA has a job to do, it's fair," Phillips said. "I hate it for the seniors from last year's team. We're moving forward from this and we're trying to get Shiloh pointed in the right direction."

Former North Gwinnett assistant coach Troy Hobbs was hired as Shiloh's new head coach in May.

Shiloh will not face any probation this year.

"Everything is fine for this season," Phillips said.