Memphis Independent School District announced that its football program will shift to a six‑man 'outlaw' format for the 2026 season, a move driven by dwindling enrollment that left the district unable to field a full‑size squad.
A new chapter for Memphis football
The decision means the Cyclones will operate outside the University Interscholastic League's Division II structure, which previously grouped them with schools such as Clarendon, Quanah and Wellington, and will instead play an independent slate of games.
Head coach David Jurado, whose 2025 team finished 2‑8 with victories over Crosbyton and Ralls, will oversee the transition, bringing his experience to a program that recorded 116 students in October 2025 as part of the UIL realignment process.
District officials say the revised 2026 schedule is still being finalized, but they anticipate releasing details in the coming weeks, offering a glimpse of the opponents and dates that will define the new outlaw season.