Legal counsel for an ex-Ringling football coach accused of abusing student athletes struck a victorious tone after the criminal case against the coach was recently dismissed, arguing he had been vindicated from “a false and meritless allegation.”

Phil Koons, a former hall of fame coach and Ringling High School principal, had been charged in late 2023 with a criminal misdemeanor of outraging public decency after accusations of verbally and physically abusing student-athletes . In interviews with The Oklahoman, several Ringling Blue Devils players alleged instances when Koons had bullied them and used homophobic, misogynistic or racist slurs to refer to players on the team.

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