(KRON) -- An East Bay high school has issued a clarification after it announced it would be suspending its varsity football program this season for safety concerns. On Wednesday, Mt. Diablo High School Varsity Football Coach Fetuao Mua announced that "due to safety concerns," the school would be dis continuing the program for the remainder of the season. "I know this is incredibly difficult for our players and families, especially after the time, effort, and heart they have invested in the program," Mua said. "We are truly sorry for the impacts this will have on our student-athletes." San Jose high school coach who paid students to create porn pleads guilty An update from Adam Clark, the superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District clarified that the safety concern stemmed from an "insufficient number of substitute players." "Players may have to play positions for which they are not trained," the superintendent said. "Smaller players may have to play on the offensive line or defensive line." "Quarterbacks who do not know how to properly protect themselves risk getting sacked," Clark added. In a separate note, Clark told KRON4 that he was "disappointed that the Varsity football team has cancelled the remainder of its season. Not only does it impact the current varsity roster, it impacts the cheerleaders, band and the other teams on the schedule." Some of the impacted students will move down to varsity, Clark said. Others may transfer. "Overall, I wish more students participated in sports," he added. Clark also emphasized that "Safety concerns were strictly on the playing field." Last year, Mt. Diablo High received a $250,000 donation from the Las Vegas Raiders to repair their football field, which was melted by illegal fireworks. ...read more read less