Kentucky High School Football Coach Charged With Distributing Explicit Material to Minors

Henry Clay coach Phillip Hawkins has been placed on administrative leave and is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 21.

Henry Clay head football coach Phillip Hawkins, shown while coaching at Bryan Station, has been placed on administrative leave after being charged with first-degree distribution of obscene matter to minors. Hawkins has denied the allegations. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Henry Clay High School head football coach Phillip Hawkins has been charged with first-degree distribution of obscene matter to minors and placed on administrative leave by Fayette County Public Schools, according to a report by the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Hawkins Denies Allegations

Hawkins, 57, is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 21 in Fayette District Court in Lexington, according to court records. He denied the allegations in a text message to the newspaper. The school district placed him on administrative leave between late July and early August.

Additional details have not been provided by Fayette County Public Schools. The district does not comment on personnel matters.

The Herald-Leader reported that Hawkins allegedly displayed obscene matter on his phone to minors while on the Henry Clay campus.

“It’s a ridiculous accusation and a misdemeanor single count that I will fight," Hawkins reportedly told the paper in his text message. "This is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with, and in the end, I will be exonerated.”

Lexington NBC affiliate LEX 18 reported that a Lexington Police Department citation shows Hawkins was charged with first-degree distribution of obscene matter to minors. According to the station's account of the citation, several juveniles told authorities that Hawkins showed them images on his phone that included photos of a woman's unclothed breasts and lower body.

The alleged incident occurred in April, according to LEX 18.

Tim McCoy Takes Over as Interim Coach

Former Henry Clay assistant Tim McCoy has taken over as interim head football coach.

Hawkins was hired by Henry Clay in 2024 after five seasons at Bryan Station, where he compiled a 48-17 record and led the Defenders to the 2023 Class 6A state championship game. Bryan Station finished 11-4 that season before falling to Louisville powerhouse Trinity in the Kentucky state championship game.

Hawkins' Bryan Station teams reached double-digit victories in each of his final three seasons, including an 10-2 finish in 2021 and a 10-4 mark in 2022. His 2023 team won 11 games during its run to the state championship game.

Before taking over at Bryan Station, Hawkins served as head coach at Apollo and Doss High Schools. His hiring at Henry Clay brought him to a program seeking to rebuild after consecutive losing seasons.

Henry Clay is 0-2 to start the 2026 season and is scheduled to play Henderson County on Friday with McCoy serving as the team's interim head coach.