Four-star quarterback and Georgia commit Colton Nussmeier has been ruled ineligible for varsity football after his offseason transfer from Flower Mound Marcus to Denton Ryan. A District Executive Committee vote ended in a 3-3 tie, which sent the decision back to his Previous Athletic Participation Form.
Under UIL rules, Texas high school athletes are not allowed to transfer schools for athletic purposes. Any transfer athlete who wants to play varsity sports must complete a Previous Athletic Participation Form, commonly known as a PAPF. The previous school’s coach and administrators can indicate whether they believe the move was athletically motivated.
In Nussmeier’s case, his former coach marked the move as being for athletic purposes. Since the DEC vote tied, the PAPF carried the decision, and Nussmeier was ruled ineligible.
The family has maintained the move was not about football, pointing to family reasons, a rented home in Denton, and the process of selling their Flower Mound residence. Marcus head coach Mike Alexander reportedly said he did not have documentation of a dispute with Nussmeier, but checked the athletic-purposes box based on the short distance and circumstances of the move.
Nussmeier can still appeal the ruling to the UIL State Executive Committee. That is the next step if the family chooses to fight the decision. The SEC can overturn a DEC ruling, but those reversals are difficult to win.
For Denton Ryan, this is no small development. Nussmeier is one of the top quarterbacks in the 2027 class, a left-handed passer committed to Georgia, and a player with one of the more recognizable football names in the country.
His father, Doug Nussmeier, is the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. His brother, Garrett Nussmeier, starred at LSU before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2026 NFL draft.
Colton’s junior season at Marcus was cut short by a knee injury, but he still threw for 1,390 yards, 12 touchdowns, and just one interception while also adding 278 rushing yards and three scores.
Now, instead of preparing for a senior season at one of Texas’ most respected programs, Nussmeier is in the middle of an eligibility fight.
