SAN MARCOS — Mission Hills High School head football coach Chris Hauser, who was placed on paid administrative leave for the past month amid a district investigation, announced Monday he will step down from his positions as coach and teacher.
Hauser cited family and health priorities for his decision, which comes ahead of his planned retirement from the San Marcos Unified School District at the end of the school year.
In an email to players and families obtained by The Coast News, Hauser wrote:
“Dear Grizzly Players and Families: It’s been a good run. I’m proud of our program and players’ achievements through 20+ years leading it, but family and health circumstances signal that it’s time for me to step down from my head coach and teaching responsibilities to attend to those priorities preceding my retirement from the district at the end of this school year. My family and I appreciate all of your support, encouragement and respect for our privacy. We wish all MHHS Grizzlies and the program continuing success.”
Hauser, along with assistant coaches Thomas Altieri and Edward Nuckols, was placed on paid administrative leave in September after the district opened an investigation into an ongoing yet unspecified matter.
According to multiple sources close to the program who spoke to The Coast News, the incident involved alleged physical hazing in the team’s locker room. In September, the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station confirmed an investigation at Mission Hills High School but declined to provide additional details, citing the involvement of minors.
“The district is subject to staff and student privacy laws that prohibit sharing specific information and is therefore unable to provide additional comment at this time. We are actively working toward a conclusion of the investigation and will provide an update directly to Mission Hills High School football families once additional information is available,” said Christine M. Lee, public information officer for San Marcos Unified.
Hauser was hired in 2004 as the school’s first head football coach. Over more than two decades, he led the Grizzlies to an Open Division Championship in 2013, several Avocado League titles, and coached future NFL players Chris Olave and Fred Warner.
A starting senior football player, who transferred to Mission Hills for the 2025-26 season and requested to remain anonymous, told The Coast News his move was motivated by the program’s strong college connections and practice environment.
“It was about getting better opportunities to go places. The coaches here have more connections with college coaches. The way [head coach Chris Hauser] runs practices — the environment is like a college-style setup, preparing you for the next level,” the player said.
While Hauser achieved significant success on the field, the incident last month bookends another controversy from 2007. Then, during a game, Scott Eveland, a 17-year-old linebacker, told the team trainer that a severe headache made it difficult to see clearly and asked to remain on the bench, according to his mother, Diane Luth.
Hauser reportedly overruled the trainer and put Eveland back into the game. Eveland collapsed from bleeding in the brain and suffered injuries that left him severely disabled.
“The trainer said, ‘You don’t have to play,’ but the coach overruled him and put him in,” Luth told KPBS in 2024. “And that was the last of the Scott that we knew.”
“Who’s watching your children? That’s really it,” Luth continued. “The crux of it is who — because there’s great coaches out there. I wish Scott had had that coach.”
In 2016, the family of Eveland reached a nearly $4.9 million settlement related to his injuries. The San Marcos Unified School District agreed to pay $4.375 million, and sports equipment manufacturer Riddell contributed $500,000.
Under Hauser this season, Mission Hills opened the season 4-0. Now with interim head coach DJ Zapata leading the team, the Grizzlies have gone 3-1 and sit third in the Avocado League, with two regular-season games remaining.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article featured a photo of Nick Dwyer with a caption that incorrectly identified him as Chris Hauser. The image has since been changed. We regret the error.
