Kriti Mehrotra
Netflix’s ‘Titletown High’ is an intriguing eight-episode documentary series that delves into the town of Valdosta, Georgia, where beliefs, football, and community go hand in hand. Here, we not only get to peek at the Valdosta Wildcats football players as they tackle their plays and personal lives while vying for the State Championship, but we also get a sense of the program and how their head coach, Rush Propst, handles things. It was made evident in the series that he can be a bit controversial, so we can’t help but wonder more about his life and current whereabouts. Here’s what we know.
Who is Rush Propst?
Born in Alabama in 1957, Thomas Rush Propst grew up and graduated high school in his native of Ohatchee before attending Jacksonville State as a walk-on. He earned his degree in Physical Education and then spent a few years as an assistant coach in the Alabama-Georgia region. From there, in 1999, Rush landed his first big break and was hired as the head coach at Hoover High School. In the ensuing nine years, he led that football program to 110 wins and 5 State Championships. Though, allegations of changing student grades for eligibility and his own issues soon came to light.
Eventually, in 2007, Rush resigned from his position after confessing to an extramarital affair with his now-wife, with whom he’d started a family, but refuted all other charges. He subsequently took an opportunity at Colquitt County High School in Georgia, where he led the Packers to seven playoff appearances and a couple of state titles. Yet, before this and the charges, he had become a national icon through MTV’s ‘Two-A-Days,’ which is why his 2019 firing was even more shocking. After all, he was found to have violated the Code of Ethics for Educators under at least four areas.
Despite this, in 2020, Rush was brought on by Valdosta High School, and he immediately took their program to the next level. From pushing players to do better to offering support in tough times, he did it all. Unfortunately, he went too far and was found guilty of several infractions by the Georgia High School Association board, including arranging monthly payments for rent for families of leading transfer players such as Jake Garcia and Amari Jones. He was thus placed on administrative leave, and five athletes were ruled ineligible for the 2021 season, so games were forfeit.
Where is Rush Propst Now?
The Wildcats are now banned from the 2021 playoffs by the GHSA due to the leaked recorded conversation with Michael “Nub” Nelson, where Rush Propst spoke about “funny money.” This audio was taped in April 2020 but not released until March 2021, a week after Nub was fired as President of the Valdosta Touchdown Club. And today, although the school board had decided not to renew Rush’s contract in April, it appears as if they’re revisiting the decision. His Twitter bio still states that he’s “Head Football Coach at Valdosta High School” and residing in the city, so nothing’s for sure.
Tonight is better than last night. pic.twitter.com/Ya2m1pFb7d
— Coach Rush Propst (@PropstRush) November 14, 2020
In a recent interview with Saturday Down South, Coach Rush stated that the contents of the leaked audio were “just a bunch of B.S. talk. That’s all it was. I wish I could take back some of those things, but I can’t. You just have to own up to them… I was taken out of context, yes absolutely out of context.” However, even if he doesn’t return to Valdosta, the 63-year-old claims he’s not done coaching yet. He’s not ready to retire, so he’s also looking into other opportunities in another state — a place where he, his wife, and children might get better support. Rush’s record, after everything, stands at 295-108.
Read More: Where is Valdosta Wildcats’ Ex-Quarterback Amari Jones Now?
