Southlake Carroll Head Coach Hal Wasson ‘Stunned’ He’d Been Put on Leave

Southlake Carroll head football coach Hal Wasson says he was "stunned" to learn he was being placed on administrative leave by the district earlier this week and that he "welcomes the scrutiny of the Dragon program and his actions as head football coach."

In a statement released Friday, Wasson's attorney Karl Tiger Hanner said the coach was embarrassed about being placed on involuntary leave but that he "always endeavored to do things the right way" and that he "looks forward to defending himself and his program during this process."

Wasson was placed on leave Wednesday by the Carroll Independent School District who said they made the decision as part of an administrative review on, "several aspects of the Dragon football program," ensuring that operations are aligned with Carroll ISD's core values."

NBC 5 Sports Director Newy Scruggs reported sources told him Wednesday there were concerns about funds Wasson received while coaching at football camps. That source added that though Wasson is on administrative leave he will not return as Southlake Carroll's head coach.

The district's review, meanwhile, is expected to look at the program's current culture, its policies as they apply to state rules and employees' compliance with district rules. The statement, which was sent to parents from Superintendent David Faltys, also urged that, "speculation and opinions wouldn't be shared without fact."

In the statement released Friday, Hanner specifically addressed the reference to "core values."

"I noticed that Faltys mentioned the importance of 'core values,'" Hanner wrote. "I can assure you that instilling 'core values' in his players is at the heart of everything coach Wasson and his coaches do as a program every single day."