The CIF Southern Section has declared eight Millikan football transfers to be ineligible, part of increased enforcement by the CIF-SS of its transfer rules in the 2025 season. All eight of the players are now listed in the CIF-SS’ public transfer portal as “Denied,” and have been stripped of eligibility to play not just at Millikan but anywhere in California through September 2, 2027–effectively a two-year ban on any high school sports participation in California for the eight players.
“Millikan High School acknowledges the recent CIF ruling regarding athletic eligibility within its football program,” reads an LBUSD statement sent to the 562. “We take this matter seriously and regret the impact it has had on our students, families, and community. The school has complied with CIF directives, including the forfeiture of games, and we are conducting a review of the transfer procedures at our site and within the Moore League to ensure compliance moving forward. While student and employee matters are confidential, our commitment remains to support our students while upholding the integrity of our athletic programs.”
The CIF-SS office declined any further comment on the ineligibilities.
The Rams forfeit two season-opening wins this year for use of an ineligible player. While the CIF-SS declined to comment on what made the eight transfers ineligible, the two-year ban is consistent with punishment for violations of Blue Book rule 202. That rule describes the punishment for providing false information as laid out in 202.1:
If it is discovered that any parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver or student has provided incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete or false information in regards to any aspect of eligibility status on behalf of a student, that student is subject to immediate ineligibility for CIF competition at any level in any sport for a period of up to 24 calendar months from the date the determination was made that incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete or false information was provided.
It’s not the first time the CIF-SS has handed down this ruling–last week they declared 19 players at Bishop Montgomery ineligible, part of a cheating scandal that has shaken up high school sports in Southern California and led to the dismissal of Bishop Montgomery’s coach and principal. Transfers can gain eligibility either through the “sit out period” which essentially requires waiting a month to begin playing, or via a valid change of residence or a hardship waiver. The increased enforcement this year has been around falsified documents related to changes of residence.
The Rams are 0-4 after forfeiting two wins that saw them play an ineligible player. Millikan coach Romeo Pellum did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.
This isn’t the Rams’ first time having to forfeit games in recent years. In 2022 they forfeit four wins over the use of an ineligible player, which also led to the suspension of Pellum, who was reinstated later in the season.
At Long Beach Poly last year, the Jackrabbits didn’t forfeit games because the player didn’t play, but a mid-season transfer was ruled to have falsified address change paperwork by the CIF-SS and was deemed ineligible for two years.
The CIF-SS office previously said they visited Millikan’s campus two weeks ago.
“The CIF Southern Section met with the Millikan administration yesterday to discuss concerns with transfers,” CIF-SS assistant commissioner Thom Simmons said at the time. Asked if that was unusual, he said, “It’s unusual for us to meet with a school if there’s one, two, three, four, five transfers. When you have multiple transfers in the amount that have been processed then it’s no longer unusual, it becomes mandatory.”
Players from Bishop Montgomery who were ruled ineligible have already begun to transfer out of state, including former Lakewood tight end Caleb Tafua, who has enrolled at a high school in Arizona, per reports. Arizona high school football writer Adam Beadle has also reported that Millikan QB Ashton Pannell, one of the players ruled ineligible today, has enrolled at Arizona’s Saguaro High to complete his senior year.
This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
