A representative for the Diocese of Orange confirmed to The Signal on Wednesday that former Canyon head football coach Harry Welch is on administrative leave from his head coaching position at Santa Margarita Catholic High School of Rancho Santa Margarita.

But the reason for his leave could not be released because it is a personnel matter.

The Los Angeles Times broke the story on Monday stating that Welch was on leave while the school and diocese were completing an investigation.

It was further reported that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department was at the school recently investigating an alleged incident involving a coach on Dec. 13.

Sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino told the Los Angeles Times that Santa Margarita received an anonymous email alleging that a player had been pushed or shoved by a coach.

A message with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department by The Signal was not returned on Wednesday.

Furthermore, two messages left on Welch’s cellular phone this week were also not returned.

Welch was placed on leave last Thursday. There is no timetable as to when the investigation will be concluded, Stephen Bohannon, media relations officer for the Diocese of Orange, told The Signal Wednesday.

“The fact that Harry Welch is on administrative leave pending a Santa Margarita Catholic High School and Diocese of Orange review,” Bohannon said of what information his office can release. “No children or kids were a risk or are at risk. Everything is pretty much governed by the laws of California regarding employee privacy.”

A call to Santa Margarita seeking comment was deferred to the diocese.

On Dec. 16, Welch guided his Santa Margarita team to a CIF Division I State Football Championship — the third state title for the legendary coach.

The victory made him the only coach in CIF history to win a state title with three different schools, as he previously won with Canyon in 2006 and St. Margaret’s in 2008.

As much as success has been a staple of Welch’s coaching career, so has controversy, particularly at Canyon, where he was head coach from 1982 to 1994 and again from 2001 to 2006.

He and his team were accused of vandalism in 1989 while trying to protect themselves from riotous fans in Santa Barbara.

His team was also photographed using blocking sleds in the offseason in 1991, a violation of CIF rules.

Welch was never in any of the photographs, but the CIF recommended sanctions against him. He battled the organization in court and was later vindicated when the CIF decided to settle out of court.

His departure from Canyon in 2007 was acrimonious, as he battled over numerous issues with the school’s administration.

Two coaches were let go from Welch’s Santa Margarita staff following the 2011 season after the school learned that assistants Sean Coen and Robert Hendricks, who are former Canyon students, had been convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession on Sept. 15 in Orange County Superior Court.

Coen and Hendricks reportedly were operating a marijuana and distribution operation in a San Juan Capistrano garage.

Santa Margarita figures to be a favorite to return to a state title game with a wealth of talent, led by quarterback Johnny Stanton, slated to come back.

Whether Welch will be coaching the Eagles or not, though, is the major question.