It’s likely four-time champion head football coach Mike Beliveau will be absent from the sideline when perennial Division III power Souhegan High opens its season one week from Friday.

Beliveau, entering his 18th season at the helm in Amherst, last week violated the NHIAA rule that prohibits videotaping and scouting opponents before their final scrimmage of the preseason.

“I did not know the policy. As a 20-year veteran coach, I should have,” Beliveau said Tuesday while reading a prepared statement. “Because I did not know the policy, I violated the policy when I went scouting. I’ve recommended to my school, my team, the NHIAA, that I be unavailable to coach the first two regular-season games.

“Leading up to those (Aug. 31 and Sept. 7) contests,” he added, “I will be able to be at practice, be at scrimmages and jamborees to help prepare my team for the season.”

NHIAA executive director Patrick Corbin said he contacted Souhegan officials and requested they investigate. The NHIAA, he said, relies on schools to police themselves with matters involving their coaches.

Corbin said he expected Souhegan officials to report their findings — and disclose the coach’s punishment — “in the next day or so.” He added that the NHIAA must determine whether the punishment’s severity is appropriate.

Corbin said he learned about the infraction after Beliveau was spotted last Friday at Winnacunnet of Hampton. Division II Winnacunnet, Souhegan’s Week 1 crossover foe, was competing in a scrimmage with Division I Nashua South.

The rule appears in the NHIAA’s “2012 Football Policies & Procedures Manual.” It is No. 15 under “Points of special emphasis” and addresses the time frame in which team representatives may exchange game film and scout.

It states that, “All schools will allow: (1) Film or scouting of the opponent beginning with the last scrimmage/jamboree through the end of the tournament.”

“It’s not that egregious (of a mistake). But we do have a policy,” Corbin said. “It was clear he was there.”

Corbin said Winnacunnet athletics director Carol Dozibrin — also the NHIAA football committee chair — attended the scrimmage. He said she called to confirm whether Beliveau’s presence was problematic.

Dozibrin and Winnacunnet head coach Ron Auffant only said the issue was “a Souhegan thing.”

“This is a longstanding rule. He was clearly in violation,” Corbin said of Beliveau, who has led the Sabers to 10 title games since 1998.

Souhegan AD Ken Bigley on Tuesday declined to comment, saying only that the issue was “sensitive.”

Beliveau said he was not at liberty to answer questions.

“We’re talking about an experienced coach,” Corbin said. “He certainly should have known better.”

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Marc Thaler may be reached at mthaler@unionleader.com.