Rush Propst was born in 1958 in Ohatchee, Alabama. He grew up in the town and played football for Coach Ragan Clark at Ohatchee High School. He graduated in 1976 and walked on as a wide receiver at Jacksonville State University.

After college, he worked as an assistant coach for eight years at Cleburne County High School in Heflin, Cherokee High School in Canton, Georgia, and Ashville High School. In 1989, Propst accepted the head coaching job at Ashville where he remained for four seasons.

His record at Ashville was 25-20 and his last team finished the season 12-2. In 1993 he moved over to take the head position at Eufaula High School. Propst stayed here for another four seasons with a record of 24-20.

In 1997 Alba High School was one year away from consolidating with Grand Bay to form Alma Bryant High School in south Mobile County.

Rush took over the job as head coach at Alba for their final season before the new school opened the following year.

The 1998 Alma Bryant team was one of the best Mobile County had seen for many years. The team finished the season 12-1 and outscored their opponents 420-61 with eight shutouts, seven to start the season.

In 1999 Propst was initially hired as athletic director and football coach at Hoover High School, but stepped down from the AD position after six months.

He adopted a new philosophy on offense with a wide open spread like the state of Alabama had never seen previously. His first season produced a 7-3 record without a playoff appearance, but the framework was set for things to come.

Over the next seven seasons the Hoover Bucs dominated the state of football like none before them. Their record on the field was an amazing 97-7 with five Class 6A State Championships. His other two teams reached the Super Six finals only to lose out on two more titles.

The 2005 and 2006 seasons were the subject of the MTV reality series "Two-A-Days", which made Propst into a national icon. The TV show seemed to be a mixed blessing as problems arose in the program and the school in 2007 and Propst resigned following that season at Hoover.

In 2008 Coach Propst found new life in the state of Georgia at Colquitt County High School. His teams have produced a 86-25 record over his first eight years at the school with seven playoff appearances and state championships in 2014 and 2015.

Propst was named Coach of the Year by the Birmingham News in each of his championship seasons and by the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in 2000 and 2005.

He was also named Coach of the Year by the ASWA in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2004. His overall head coaching record in Alabama is 177-70 and 108-15 at Hoover. His combined slate in both states is 296-103.

Coach Propst returned to Alabama to take over the football program at Pell City in 2023.