Rush Propst returns to Alabama high school football as associate head coach, athletic director

Rush Propst is one of the more famous high school head coaches on a national level, running Hoover High School in the early 2000s. He has been out of the state of Alabama since 2007 but now and most recently coached at Georgia’s Valdosta High School before taking the past two years off.

Now, Propst is back in Alabama and has a new role. He will be both the head coach and athletic director for Coosa Christian, located in Gadsen, Ala. It’s a major move for the high school after making a state semifinal last year.

Valdosta hired Propst for the 2020 season but they were sanctioned for using ineligible players. Propst then took some time off from coaching, spending time with his family. However, he feels the need to get back into the profession and Coosa Christian presents that opportunity.

“I’m getting back in because I need to get back in,” Propst said in a statement to AL.com. “I was a dad for two years. I enjoyed it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but I do want to get back into coaching.”

Propst has had success on the field, turning Hoover into a powerhouse in Alabama. The Bucs won five state championship games at the 6A level under Propst. Four of those came consecutively, spanning from 2002-2005. There is no doubt he can help win football games.

However, he has been surrounded by controversy for some time now. Even before the Valdosta sanctions, there were similar problems while at Hoover. Off-the-field problems caused quite a stir within the state as well, with the then-local radio show, the Paul Finebaum Show, being involved as well.

Nonetheless, Coosa Christian has brought Propst back into the high school ranks in the Yellowhammer State. While he will not be a head coach, he will still have a major influence on the 1A program.