PHOENIX — Former Mountain Pointe head football coach Norris Vaughan said something didn't seem right when Justin Hager was hired as the school's head freshman football coach back in 2016.
"I felt something was amiss back then but I didn’t quite know what," Vaughan told 12 News Thursday. "But without question, our football team was being affected."
Chandler High beat Mountain Pointe in the Arizona 6A Conference state championship in 2016. Vaughan said it seemed like they had some insider information.
"We had a tailback, a center, and a quarterback get injured. We felt like that injury information got out," Vaughan said. "We felt like on defense they knew what coverages we were in. I’m not blaming anybody I’m just saying I felt like something was amiss.”
PREVIOUSLY: Emails show Mountain Pointe HS coach allegedly sent vital info to at least 10 opposing coaches
The same thing happened in the 2017 state semifinal game against Perry High School, Vaughan said. Mountain Pointe lost that game.
"We felt like teams knew certain things about us," Vaughan said. "I feel bad for those kids in 2016 and 2017."
Vaughan said he's "disappointed" in the local coaches who never called to say they were receiving insider information. Those coaches, Vaughan said, should have called him even if they thought the information was coming from a fan or a parent.
"This was not right by our kids or the kids on the other teams,” he said.
Vaughan recalled his time coaching in Georgia and being involved in a similar situation, except that time he was the one receiving the leaked info.
"I immediately called the coach at the school that was being compromised and told him what was going on,” Vaughan said.
A Las Vegas high school coach was the one that broke the news to Mountain Pointe about the leak in their football program back in August.
"God bless the coach from Faith Lutheran who was honorable enough to do the right thing," Vaughan said.
READ: 'I don't know who you made angry...' Vegas coach told Mountain Pointe coach someone leaked gameplan
Vaughan's former assistant coach Justin Hager is accused of sending anonymous emails to opposing coaches whose teams were preparing to play Mountain Pointe. The emails contained plays, strategy and other insider information.
That email address "WalterPayton12," which was linked to Hager by school officials, also sent emails to media and school officials promoting Hager as "one of the best coaches in AZ."
READ: Mountain Pointe coach allegedly sent anonymous emails to media, school officials promoting himself
Vaughan called Hager a "rat" and said he did "everything" to support Hager when he worked at Mountain Pointe.
"He even asked me to give him recommendations for a couple of coaching jobs in Georgia," Vaughan said. "I knew the coaches and AD’s at those schools so I called and recommended him for those jobs.”
Hager resigned Monday and appeared to be moving out when confronted by 12 News at his Ahwatukee apartment. However, the district unanimously voted to not accept his resignation on Wednesday.
Vaughan said he can't imagine anyone else hiring Hager, especially if this information comes up during a background check.
"I am disappointed that coach Hager would hurt our kids, our school, our program the way that he did," he said. "I don’t understand why anybody would do something so despicable to hurt kids the way he did.”