Fernley High School football coach Mark Hodges resigned from his position Wednesday to accept the head football coaching job at Hermiston (Ore.) High School.

Hodges told the Lahontan Valley News Thursday night he had been looking at the position for a while, and the resignation had nothing to do with a recruiting hoax involving one of his players, Kevin Hart, or the Lyon County School District.

Hart, an all-league and all-state lineman, was supposedly recruited by five major universities. At a Feb. 1 assembly, he announced he was going to attend the University of California. One day later, Web sites that cover Cal Bears sports questioned Hart's intent to play for the university. In a statement released Feb. 6 through the school district, Hart admitted his story was a lie.

Hodges said he looks forward returning to Oregon. Prior to coming to Fernley in 2005, he was an assistant football coach at North Medford, Ore. Hodges said he spent 12 years coaching at the high school level and three years as an assistant coach at Southern Oregon University.

He compiled a 7-4 record at Fernley this year, and the Vaqueros qualified for the Northern 3A playoffs.

"The opportunity to coach at a 5A high school is great," he said. "It's a step up, and they have a great sports program."

Hodges said officials at Hermiston High School contacted area coaches and did a thorough background check on him.

Before Hermiston offered him a job, Hodges said he had been looking at other schools.

Hodges said he couldn't pass up the economic advantages of living in Oregon.

"It's an economic advantage, a raise in pay and the cost of living is good," he said.

Because of the Hart situation, Hodges filed a suit against the school district for defamation of character. Although he will be leaving the school district, Hodges said the suit will still go forward.

In his lawsuit, Hodges claims the school district supplied information to a Reno television station stating the Fernley football coach's contract would not be extended because of Hart's hoax about being recruited by a major university and because of fiscal irresponsibility.

When the lawsuit was filed, Hodges' attorney, Ken McKenna of Reno, said, "The statement of fiscal irresponsibility and the Kevin Hart matter created the insinuation (Hodges) was a conspirator with Kevin Hart."

McKenna said the minimum amount to file a complaint in court is $10,000.

"The jury can award from nothing to hundreds of thousands of dollars," McKenna added.

According to the complaint, Hodges is also asking for past loss of benefits, future loss of earnings and/or loss of earning capacity, punitive damages, reasonable attorney fees and costs of the suit, and additional damages as deemed by the court.

Hodges said he was still referring any questions about the lawsuit to McKenna.

In 2006, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association forced the Fernley High School football team to forfeit all five of its wins of the 2005 season due to the use of an ineligible player. According to several media reports, at least three players transferred from North Medford High School in Oregon, where the newly hired Hodges had previously worked. After the season ended, three transferred back, including Hodges' son.