Top WR Demas ruled ineligible to play for Tomball
ROUND ROCK — One of the top wide receivers in the country won’t play a down in 2019.
Demond Demas’ appeal for eligibility was denied by the University Interscholastic League’s state executive committee Tuesday.
Demas, ranked as the No. 2 wide receiver in the country, transferred from Houston ISD’s North Forest to Tomball High School in January.
The transfer was “flagged” by North Forest head coach Clifton Terrell — who declined to comment after the ruling — via the Previous Athletic Participation Form (PAPF) as a move for athletic purposes.
The District 8-5A Division I executive committee (made up of the eight schools in Tomball’s district) ruled 7-1 in April that Demas was ineligible because he had transferred for athletic purposes.
The state executive committee upheld that ruling by a 6-0 vote. Demas, who has committed to Texas A&M, said he will not return to North Forest and will remain enrolled at Tomball while continuing to train over the next semester.
“Whatever happened, happened,” an upbeat Demas said of the decision. “I’m not going to cry. I’m not going to be upset. It’s just life. Life is going to throw you adversity. Life is going to throw you curveballs. You’re going to knock it out of the park or what? That’s how I see it. I’ll just knock it out of the park from here on out. I swung. I missed. I’m not going to strike out.”
The details of Demas’ transfer were made public at the state executive committee meeting, pitting Demas and his family’s word against the North Forest coaching staff.
Demas and his family (represented at the hearing by his mother, grandmother and grandfather) said a turbulent home life and the North Forest staff's inability to help and hold the receiver accountable academically spurred the move to Tomball.
Demas moved in with neighbors in the North Forest area during his freshman year (2016-17) and stayed there before moving early this year to an apartment in Tomball to live
with his grandfather, who wanted to assume the responsibility of taking care of Demas in an effort to keep him out of trouble.
Demas’ family said they notified Terrell and the North Forest staff that moving was an option and explained why. Terrell countered at Tuesday’s hearing. “We tried to help academically, but they fought us every step of the way,” he said.
Terrell put some blame on area trainer Rischad Whitfield, known as the Footwork King. Whitfield trains athletes at all levels, including the NFL, and is a popular choice for Houston-area players looking for training outside the high school realm.
Terrell said Demas’ association with Whitfield was a jumping point for the transfer because Tomball quarterback Hunter Dunn and Demas trained together with Whitfield.
Terrell also said he was notified by coaches at LSU, Mississippi and Oklahoma State that Whitfield was “shopping” Demas and Dunn as a “package” to prospective schools. Demas committed to A&M last September while at North Forest. Dunn has not picked a school.
The relationship between Whitfield and Demas is well-documented on social media. Whitfield said he is upset with the ruling and denied steering Demas away from North Forest. Whitfield said he was a liaison for Demas and Terrell.
“Because it didn’t matter where Demond went to (high) school,” Whitfield said. “At the end of the day, his grades were fine enough and he was going to go to college to play ball. But to say I facilitated it, man that's like it's a personal thing. I don’t know if it’s a personal thing with me or if it’s a personal thing with Demond but (Terrell) had his foot down to where he was going to do all he can to throw anybody he can underneath the bus to make sure that Demond wasn’t going to get cleared for this.”
Tomball football coach Kevin Flanigan met with Demas’ grandfather before the move. Flanigan told the committee the nature of that conversation was strictly about academics and campus life, not playing for the football team. Flanigan said he even called Terrell and the two spoke on the phone after that meeting. Flanigan wanted to notify Terrell of the meeting and ensure it was not initiated by him and that no recruiting was taking place.
However, when state executive committee board member Marshall Scott asked Demas’ grandfather if he had visited with the principal at Tomball, he said he did not. Demas had two younger siblings who did not make the move to Tomball and remained with family in the North Forest district.
Demas’ family said they also considered moving to C.E. King or North Shore but ultimately decided Tomball was the safest and most stable environment for him.
The state committee also asked about reports of Demas staying with Dunn and his family. Demas said he only spent a few nights at the Dunn household as other members of the team often did.
Demas’ family said they find comfort in his improving his grades at Tomball, which was one of the major motivations for the move. Demas’ final remarks in front of the committee included his desire to prove he can succeed in the classroom as well as on the field.