Bishop Sycamore's new coach: 'We are not a school'

The new head coach of Bishop Sycamore is setting the record straight after questions were raised regarding the legitimacy of the Ohio football team.

Coach Tyren Jackson said Bishop Sycamore isn't a school, but rather what he describes as a "postgrad football academy."

"We do not offer curriculum," Jackson told Jamie Ostroff of NBC4. "We are not a school. That's not what Bishop Sycamore is, and I think that's what the biggest misconception about us was, and that was our fault. Because that was a mistake on paperwork."

Bishop Sycamore made headlines late last month after losing 58-0 to IMG Academy in a game that ESPN televised nationally. The team's roster featured several postgraduate players, including some who played junior college football.

An NBC4 investigation revealed there's no school building or curriculum associated with Bishop Sycamore, despite the state of Ohio identifying it as a "non-charter, non-tax supported school."

Jackson, who replaced Bishop Sycamore's previous coach, Roy Johnson, said he didn't know anything about the program's filing with the Ohio Department of Education. He also said Bishop Sycamore won't be submitting paperwork to be considered a school for the current academic year.

Bishop Sycamore is continuing to practice, even though opponents have canceled the remaining games on the squad's schedule.

"A lot of it, you can say, was self-inflicted, and I'm willing to say that. But at the same time, that's probably from a head-down type of thing," Jackson said. "Don't attack these kids. Don't take that part from them, now that they don't have a season, possibly.

"Once the smoke clears, we're national news. Whoever does schedule us next will be national news."