Colquitt County football coach Rush Propst, who had been suspended for one year by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for head-butting a player on the helmet  last year, won an appeal on Thursday and will be allowed to coach the 2016 season after all.

Propst's penalty has been reduced to a reprimand, according to several media, including USA Today and AL.com.

Propst released a statement:

“I regret that this incident has in any way reflected negatively on my hometown of Moultrie, Georgia, the Colquitt County High School, its football program, players and their accomplishments.  Our coaches, football players, cheerleaders, band, fans and entire Moultrie community have worked very hard for our success in football and I do not want their hard work and success overshadowed by this incident.

“I am thankful for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for considering all the facts and agreeing to a reprimand. I also appreciate the Attorney General’s office for being fair in this matter.”

The incident that led to Propst's censure occurred during the first half of a Dec. 4 state-semifinal game against Mill Creek that Colquitt County won 52-31. Colquitt had just scored a touchdown to take the lead, and Propst head-butted a player, who was wearing a helmet, on the sideline.

Propst's Colquitt County teams won Class AAAAAA championships in 2014 and 2015, finishing 15-0 each season.

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