As one of the winningest high school football coaches in the country, Rush Propst is still waiting on the call that will bring him back to Georgia, where he served as the head coach for the winningest high school program in America, won two state championships and a national championship at one of its rival schools, and led that same school to three other state title games.
Despite 74 head coaching changes among Georgia high school football programs in just a little over a month, Propst did not get the call that he felt was the right one. For now, Propst waits for that next call that could turn a program into a state champion – or maybe something bigger.
“I want the opportunity to not only win a state championship, but I want to build a national brand,” Propst said in a phone interview with ITG Next from his Alabama home earlier this week.
That’s what Propst did while head coach at Hoover in Alabama and a few years later at Colquitt County in Georgia. Even though he’s been gone from Hoover since 2007 and from Colquitt County since 2018, his impact lives on. Both of those schools continue to be recognized on a national and state level.
While some well-known names from the world of coaches were hired to fill the dozens of head coaching jobs that became available over the past month, Propst is still waiting for the right opportunity. Propst said he has received some interest from schools this offseason, but nothing materialized.
“I’ve received several calls about different coaching jobs, but not one that fits what I’m looking for right now,” Propst said.
Over his career, Propst has won 309 games while losing 111. He has led his teams to 13 state championship games while winning eight state titles. He also has won a national high school championship.
While most of the coaching vacancies that would have been a more likely fit for the championship-caliber coach are off the board, remember that Propst has won state titles at schools of all sizes, big and small.
He won his first state championship in 2000 at Hoover, the largest school where Propst has coached and won a state championship. He won a total of five state titles as head coach of the Buccaneers.
His most recent state championship was at the smallest school he has ever coached at and marks the smallest school where he has won a state title. Coosa Christian, whom Propst led to the 2025 AHSAA Class 2A state championship, has a total K-12 enrollment of approximately 276 students. Propst had a roster of approximately 21 players with the Conquerors.
Hoover’s estimated enrollment in 2000 was 2,800 students, which gave Propst a varsity roster of about 225 players.
Propst won state championships with the Colquitt County Packers in 2014 and 2015, leading the Pack to consecutive undefeated seasons with 30 straight wins. The 2015 Colquitt County team was also recognized by High School Football America as the high school football national champion.
Propst will not remain as the head football coach at Coosa Christian. He was promoted as the team’s head coach on a four-month interim basis following the suspension of former head coach Mark O’Bryant prior to last season. Propst knew that his tenure as Coosa Christian’s head coach could be for just one season. The school has reinstated O’Bryant as its head coach.
But that didn’t matter to Propst. He coached the team as he has coached every other team in his career, with one goal: just win.
What’s Next for Rush Propst?
While Propst didn’t get the call he was looking for during the recent Georgia high school football head coach hiring blitz in January, the 68-year-old coach is staying busy with other non-coaching interests, and Propst said he’s fine with whatever happens.
But make no mistake. Propst is a football coach, and coaching is what Propst wants to be doing.
His resume is out there for everyone to see: 13 state championship games, eight state championships won.
So the question remains: Will Rush Propst get the call?
It may come down to one thing and one thing only: How badly does a school want to win a state championship?
Rush Propst is waiting on your call.
