LAGRANGE, GA (WTVM) -
Charles Flowers didn't mince words.
"I have not recruited anyone," said the recently fired Troup Tigers head football coach. "I have not paid any bills for anyone."
Wednesday, Flowers spoke to the media for the first time since he was given his walking papers by the school board on the previous Friday night. He directly addressed the allegations that he paid for Jalen and Zanquanarious Washington to transfer from Lanett to Troup in 2010.
"I would think if it was an issue it would have been brought forth at that time," Flowers said. "But over a year later? That's kind of odd."
Flowers told Superintendent Cole Pew that he never paid for any deposit or rent for the Washington boys. He presented letters from Tseyonka Davidson and May Acres saying they as family members helped Washington's mother move to West Point. Flowers also presented a letter from the property manager of the apartment the Washingtons lived in stating that he did not pay for anything.
"The Superintendent told me he would follow up and get back in touch with me," Flowers stated. "To this point I have not heard back from him."
Flowers remains on the Troup faculty until the end of February. His contract was supposed to run out at the end of the school year.
He says he has retained legal counsel to fight the allegations and his dismissal.
Even though he's disappointed and hurt by the situation, Flowers said he'd still like to coach at Troup because of the relationship with his players. And he again asserted his innocence of the charges.
"I don't know what else I can say or do. If I'm guilty of something it's guilty of being a role model, a father figure, a caring coach."
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