Last weekend Hoover High was elimated from the Alabama 6A state playoffs after losing to Vestavia Hills 21-17. Also coming to an end was the career of Rush Propst as the head football coach at Hoover. Although he chose to resign after everything that happened, he now feels he had no option but to resign and regrets his decision to do so. The following article was published in The Birmingham News last Saturday:Rush Propst removed his headset and handed it to an assistant coach. He put his hands on his hips, took off his visor and shook his head. It was the end.
Propst's career as Hoover's head coach came to a close at Vestavia High School on Buddy Anderson Field after the Rebels' 21-17 quarterfinal victory on Friday over the Buccaneers.
"Don't want to think about it," Propst said of his next step. "I'll take a few days off, get out of town, just enjoy early retirement. They got what they wanted. They got my head and sliced it off pretty good and took me out. Now that vocal minority can be happy." A wall of Vestavia Hills students surrounded Propst as he talked with media members after the game. Some held camera phones, took pictures and reveled in his final moments as Hoover's head coach.
Propst said he regrets stepping down and doesn't believe he should have.
"I thought I was forced to do it in a lot of different ways," he said. "I just didn't feel I got the support from my administration and from city officials. It's very disappointing to me, and a lot of people tell me inside Hoover, they're very upset with how this happened. But you know what? Eventually they're going to get you, and they got me."
Propst said he felt like he had no choice but to resign when he did.
"I felt our football team had taken enough," he said. "These football players had taken enough. When they come after you, they're gonna eventually get you."
The game itself provided plenty of moments for Propst to unleash his emotional personality. He wore two state championship rings, one on each ring finger. He pumped his fists and threw his hands in the air after Hoover's defense made big stops. He threw his clipboard after receivers dropped balls.
In the fourth quarter, Propst turned to media members as they stood on the sideline.
"Watch this, boys," he said. "It's either feast or famine."
Tyler Ray then completed a 16-yard flea flicker to receiver Terrance Patton, which set up a 23-yard field goal several plays later.
Propst's career at Hoover spanned nine years. He compiled a 110-16 record and won five state championships. He starred in an MTV reality television show, becoming a household name and the face of Alabama high school football.
He divided a community this fall when allegations of academic impropriety and preferential treatment of athletes surfaced at the high school. Some in the community supported Propst, while others vehemently opposed him.
"It's sad," he said. "But all good things have to come to an end. I'm not worried about Rush Propst. I've won enough football games to last a lifetime."
Propst's career as Hoover's head coach came to a close at Vestavia High School on Buddy Anderson Field after the Rebels' 21-17 quarterfinal victory on Friday over the Buccaneers.
"Don't want to think about it," Propst said of his next step. "I'll take a few days off, get out of town, just enjoy early retirement. They got what they wanted. They got my head and sliced it off pretty good and took me out. Now that vocal minority can be happy." A wall of Vestavia Hills students surrounded Propst as he talked with media members after the game. Some held camera phones, took pictures and reveled in his final moments as Hoover's head coach.
Propst said he regrets stepping down and doesn't believe he should have.
"I thought I was forced to do it in a lot of different ways," he said. "I just didn't feel I got the support from my administration and from city officials. It's very disappointing to me, and a lot of people tell me inside Hoover, they're very upset with how this happened. But you know what? Eventually they're going to get you, and they got me."
Propst said he felt like he had no choice but to resign when he did.
"I felt our football team had taken enough," he said. "These football players had taken enough. When they come after you, they're gonna eventually get you."
The game itself provided plenty of moments for Propst to unleash his emotional personality. He wore two state championship rings, one on each ring finger. He pumped his fists and threw his hands in the air after Hoover's defense made big stops. He threw his clipboard after receivers dropped balls.
In the fourth quarter, Propst turned to media members as they stood on the sideline.
"Watch this, boys," he said. "It's either feast or famine."
Tyler Ray then completed a 16-yard flea flicker to receiver Terrance Patton, which set up a 23-yard field goal several plays later.
Propst's career at Hoover spanned nine years. He compiled a 110-16 record and won five state championships. He starred in an MTV reality television show, becoming a household name and the face of Alabama high school football.
He divided a community this fall when allegations of academic impropriety and preferential treatment of athletes surfaced at the high school. Some in the community supported Propst, while others vehemently opposed him.
"It's sad," he said. "But all good things have to come to an end. I'm not worried about Rush Propst. I've won enough football games to last a lifetime."
3 comments:
What an asshole. He should go coach at savannah state since they fired their coach.
all i care about is the bcs bullshit
no kidding. how can you make those kind of remarks after everything thats happened. the state championship is now Prattville, the team that beat Hoover last year, versus Spain Park the team Hoover played whenever I went and beat 23-7.
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