Ringling football coach charged after months-long investigation into player harassment

Molly Young, The Oklahoman
Updated ·2 min read
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Ringling football coach Phil Koons was suspended in February after players reported he harassed and bullied them. He was later reinstated.
Ringling football coach Phil Koons was suspended in February after players reported he harassed and bullied them. He was later reinstated.

Ringling football coach Phil Koons was charged Tuesday with outraging public decency after a months-long investigation into allegations that he harassed and bullied players.

The misdemeanor charge, filed in Jefferson County District Court, accuses Koons of injuring public morals by using "profane, degrading and derogatory language towards student-athletes under his supervision" between August 2021 and February. If found guilty, Koons faces up to one year in jail and as much as $500 in fines.

Shelby Shelton, an attorney for Koons, said he could not comment about the charge because the case is ongoing.

The charge comes nearly five months after the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation completed its inquiry into Koons, a Hall of Fame coach whose football teams have won several state titles. He has also been the subject of a string of complaints from players about his behavior.

More: In 'football heaven,' a coach suspended. A town divided. What happened in Ringling?

The most recent complaints surfaced in February after several players reported he mistreated and intimidated them, including by calling them racist and homophobic slurs. Players also said he once punished them by requiring them to complete naked exercise drills in the locker room.

The school district suspended Koons after the allegations came to light but reinstated him three months later. He also serves as junior high and high school principal for the south central Oklahoma school district, which has about 400 total students.

Cameron Spradling, an attorney who represents several former football players who plan to sue Ringling schools, said the criminal charge against Koons should disqualify him from coaching and teaching.

"He needs to be removed immediately from the field and from those boys," Spradling said.

Ringling Superintendent Kent Southward did not immediately return a message seeking comment about the case.

Editor's note: This is a developing story and has been updated.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ringling football coach Phil Koons charged after months-long investigation