Superintendent Lynn Pulliam responded this week to Klein’s accusations of corruption at Canadian ISD:

“At the press conference last Wednesday (10/20) conducted by Klein Investigations, Mr. Klein played a recording of a prison phone interview with a person who reported to be player on the 2016 Canadian High School football team.  This person made several statements regarding his eligibility and behavior that impugn the accomplishments and integrity of the football program and the CHS coaching staff.  Much of the information shared in the recording is unsubstantiated, false and wrongfully disparages the accomplishments of the players and coaches. Canadian High School, the athletic director, and our coaches work diligently to develop and instill player character. The coaches and players follow the protocols established by the UIL to determine varsity athletic eligibility, which has not been questioned by the UIL. Having worked with our current coaches for over five years, including serving as the CHS principal during the time in question, I can say without a doubt that the school did its due diligence to meet the eligibility requirements for all players, including submission of the Previous Athletic Participation Form for the student in question. Canadian High School has been known for extracurricular success for several decades in many areas of competition, including athletics, band, theatre, FFA, FCCLA, visual arts, robotics, and UIL academics. Our students and their coaches, sponsors, and directors work extremely hard to achieve success and nothing conveyed during Mr. Klein’s press conference should detract from the accomplishments of CHS programs.”

Kyle Lynch was Pulliam’s predecessor in the CISD administrator’s office, and served as superintendent while Chris Jones was a CHS student and a member of the Wildcat football team. Lynch had begun his career at CISD in 1992 as a teacher and coach. He was head coach and athletic director in 2003 when Koetting was hired as his assistant coach. With Lynch’s approval, in 2007, Koetting implemented the fast-paced, spread-style offense that the Wildcats are now famous for, and that helped them win their first two back-to-back state championships. In 2010, when he was hired as CISD Superintendent, Koetting stepped in to take over as athletic director.

Though now the superintendent at Seminole ISD, Lynch was still at CISD in 2016 when Brown disappeared, and has continued to follow developments in the effort to determine how he died. When he learned of Klein’s charges of corruption and player recruitment, he made this statement:

“While I’m not privy to all the accusations that Mr. Klein made, I will say that the Canadian Wildcat football program is based on the values of the community which include hard work, integrity, character and doing things right. Through the years, there have been outsiders that would like to bring the program down because they just can’t fathom that success can truly be rooted in those basic principles.  They look to try to drag it down because of jealousy, self-promotion or just plain deceit. I’m not sure what the motivation of Mr. Klein is, but I am sure about the principles of character that the coaches, players and administration seek to maintain at Canadian ISD.