ETBU used illegal electronic device during recent game

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football confirms that a former coach East Texas Baptist Illegally used an electronic device in a road game in late October. As soon as the information about the matter was received, the university took immediate action.

“We received a notification from a (now) former member of the assistant coaching staff regarding inappropriate communication from the sideline during a contest this season,” said ETBU VP of Athletics Ryan Irvin. “We immediately reported this to the American Southwest Conference Office and Conference Chief of Officials.”

The rule in question is Rule 1-4-10, which states, “Players may not be equipped with any electronic, mechanical, or other signal device for the purpose of communicating with any source.”

Had the opposing team discovered the communications device during the game, a 15-yard penalty would have been assessed and the offending player ejected.

“The American Southwest Conference was notified by East Texas Baptist University regarding the use of an in-game communication device by its football team,” ASC commissioner Amy Carlton said in a statement. “The staff consulted with the football official’s coordinator, who confirmed that the action would violate an NCAA football rule and noted how penalties would be assessed for game rule violations if discovered during a game. Acted as a body in relation to sports activity and the conference accepted the body’s action.

The university or conference office did not name the assistant coach responsible for the violation, but it is believed to have been offensive coordinator Josh Moore. Moore’s name was removed from the team’s website at the end of the season following notification of the incident. He was in his first season at ETBU and previously served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bears from 2014–2015 and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts in 2017.

A former member of the United States Air Force, Moore had experience as a recruiting coordinator at Navarro and Georgia State and in 2020 served as director of football operations for the XFL’s Tampa Bay Vipers.

ETBU announced head coaching change on monday, with Brian Mayer retiring from collegiate coaching to pursue other opportunities. Defensive coordinator Calvin Ruzicka was promoted to seventh head football coach of the Tigers.