Rush Propst is in trouble again. The Valdosta (Ga.) football coach, who
has faced controversial departures at two other stops, is alleged
to have paid rent for a potential recruit, tampered with a search for his
own current job and misused school booster club money.
A 64-page court deposition obtained and reported on by television station
WALB News details the allegations against the well-traveled coach. The deposition is part of a lawsuit brought on the City of Valdosta Board of Education by plaintiff Leah Rodemaker, wife of former Valdosta football coach Alan Rodemaker, who was let go after the 2019 season.
Propst owns a career record of 299-92 and has won seven state titles during a high-profile, 30-year, seven-school career that included an eight-year stint at Hoover (Ala.)
,
which was featured on MTV's popular "Two-A-Days" reality show. He
resigned there in 2007 mired in controversy over numerous in-house
allegations, including grade-tampering and an admitted extra-marital
affair.
He was dismissed at Colquitt
County (Moultrie, Ga.) in 2019 after being charged with lack of compliance, improper conduct with students, dishonesty and misuse of public funds and property. Reports indicate he gave pills to students "on more than one occasion" and owed nearly $450,000 in delinquent federal and state taxes.
Michael Nelson, who has been involved with the Valdosta Touchdown Club booster organization for many years, said in his sworn deposition that Propst, among other things, paid for housing for two transfers, facilitated recruiting of players with the help of college coaches, asked for a "funny money" slush fund and meddled in his own hiring process.
Here are five key takeaways from the
court document:
Rush Propst glances at his phone prior to a game in October against rival Lowndes.
Photo by Gary McCullough
Nelson said in the deposition that, "Somehow, Propst was able to find out who we were interviewing and was calling certain people here in Valdosta and getting word to these people that were going to be interviewed that this place had a racist (school) board and all of this going on with Rodemaker and just kind of poo-pooed on the whole thing and discouraged these people from coming here and interviewing. And eventually, Rush was the last one standing."
California transfer Jake Garcia
When asked if Propst had anything to do with California transfer Jake Garcia's well-publicized move to Georgia, Nelson said, "Well, he facilitated it. ... Well, he asked me to come up with $2,500 a month for him for four months."
Nelson replied to investigators that Propst personally asked for the money for both Garcia as well as $850 for Amari Jones, a quarterback from Atlanta.
This is what Nelson said Propst called "funny money" and that it was used to pay rent for the families of the transfers.
Propst asked for "Funny Money"
Nelson said he was in Propst's office several weeks after he was hired at Valdosta and the new coach wanted to know about the Touchdown Club.
Shutting the door to his office, Nelson said the coach said, "Now, I don't know how you are going to feel about this, but I want to be truthful. We need some funny money."
When Nelson asked how much Propst was asking for, he said, "I don't know; 10, $15,000. I always need to keep at least $10,000 cash right here in my desk drawer."
Recruiting players
Nelson said in the deposition: "He's talking to as many as 15 people, 15 kids all over the country" to play at Valdosta.
When asked "trying to get them down here to play with the Wildcats?" Nelson said, "He's (Propst) got college recruiters helping him … All of them. All – they are from all over."
Nelson said Propst initially tried to discuss getting rent money for players and their families, but that after he raised concerns ... "we fell out over that."
Nelson said in the deposition he believed Propst was "trying to take down our Touchdown Club that's been here for over 70 years" and give Nelson's job to his wife, adding "I think it's … the end game for Rush Propst is to be able to get his hands on cold cash."
Mishandling money
In
dealing with a local grocery store who advertised with the booster
organization, Nelson alleged Propst told the company to "make the check
out of him and gave him an address to mail it to." Nelson said he
confirmed it was Propst's address in Moultrie. Nelson said he informed superintendent Todd Cason of the check and that the educator told him he was
reporting it to the Professional Standards Commission.
