Rush Propst, football coach of two-time state champion Colquitt County, has been suspended for one year by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for head-butting a player on the helmet during the state-playoff semifinals last year, according to several media outlets.
Propst has filed an appeal and requested a hearing, according to the Moultrie Observer. He is able to continue his coaching duties during the appeals process.
The incident occurred during the first half of a Dec. 4 game against Mill Creek that Colquitt County won 52-31. Colquitt had just scored a touchdown to take the lead, and Propst head-butted kicker Luis Martinez, who was wearing a helmet.
Propst was left bloodied, although it wasn’t clear on video whether the injury was from the head-butt or bumping into another player as Propst turned away.
"We were playing like crap," Propst said days later to MaxPreps reporter Mitch Stephens. "After the head-butt I think we allowed two first downs and won going away. I might have to head-butt someone every time if we get results like that."
Propst compared what he did to a common practice of former Georgia defensive coordinator Erk Russell, who was commonly seen bleeding from head butts to his Georgia players in the 1970s in his efforts to fire the team up.
''Sometimes you have to get your players going, and I think you all realize I'm pretty passionate about what I do,'' Propst would tell AL.com. "I didn't think our intensity level was where it needed to be.''
According to the Moultrie Observer, the Professional Standards Commission would have to approve any reduction in the suspension as the result of Propst's appeal to the administrative law judge at the Office of State Administrative Hearings.
He rose to fame while at Hoover in Alabama, where he won five state championships from 1999 to 2007. His 2005 and 2006 teams were featured on the MTV series ‘‘Two-A-Days.’’
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