The questionable sideline behavior of Rush Propst is well known, and on Friday night the excitable football coach added to his history of erratic in-game incidents.

Propst is the new football coach at Pell City. In his first game back in Alabama since resigning from Hoover in 2007, Propst threw his headset at his son, John David Propst.

The headset broke apart against John David Propst’s helmet and added to a chaotic sequence during Pell City’s 28-24 loss at Moody.

The bizarre moment came during a game stoppage after a personal foul penalty against Moody for a late hit out of bounds. Tempers brewed throughout the week leading up to the game between the two rivals.

There was plenty of trash talk on social media as well as a billboard promoting the game. The hit out of bounds touched off a scuffle between the two teams near the Pell City sideline.

Seeing his son attempting to rush into the fray, Propst reacted by ripping off his headset and throwing it at his son from a short distance.

Pell City athletics director Xavier Robinson intervened by pulling back John David Propst before anything else escalated.

Propst’s wife, Stefnie, was also on the sideline during the game. Stefnie Propst serves the Pell City football team in a role similar to a director of football operations.

The headset toss appeared to stun nearby players and take the steam out of the skirmish. The headset was collected and repaired and the game resumed after offsetting penalties were assessed against both teams.

After the game, Propst was asked about hitting his son with the headset. Part of the reason Propst returned to coaching high school football was to coach his son.

“He knows better than to do some stupid [stuff],” Propst said. “I got mad at him, but he’s mine and I’ll discipline him come Sunday, but there’s just things you can’t do, you know?

“It’s football and he’s a football player and he knows better. He’s been around long enough to know how to act.”

Propst’s return to Alabama is one of the biggest stories in prep football to begin the high school football season. There is considerable interest in Propst throughout the state but especially in Pell City and the surrounding areas. Moody High School was overflowing with fans for the season opener. Pell City plays host to Leeds this upcoming Friday.

Propst gained national attention while coaching at Hoover from 1999-2007. He won five state championships and the Hoover football team was the subject of the MTV reality show Two-A-Days.

Propst resigned under multiple scandals including alleged grade changing and an extramarital affair with Stefnie Duck, who is from Pell City. Propst later married Duck and they share four children.

After his time at Hoover, Propst won two state championships in Georgia but found trouble there as well.

He was disciplined for headbutting a player during a game in 2015 and was later dismissed by Colquitt County High for a variety of alleged misdeeds.

After volunteering for a year with UAB football in 2019, Propst returned to Georgia in 2020 and coached Valdosta. That stint was short lived and marked by accusations of illegally recruiting players.

Pell City went 1-9 in 2022 but appeared notably improved for Friday’s season opener against Moody.

“I have pushed this team probably harder than any team I’ve pushed,” Propst said. “I’ve probably pushed them too hard, to be honest with you. I thought that extra week, I’ll never do that again. I’ll never start a week early again. I think it’s too much.”