Highland Park football coach Rich McGlynn missed his team's Thanksgiving game against Metuchen after being accused of a pattern of abuse against his players, according to reports.

NJ.com reported four students claimed physical and verbal abuse that included punching a student in the face, and grabbing players by their facemasks to slam their heads together. He's also accused of pressuring players to play through injuries, singing out "unprivileged" players and those from one-parent households for verbal abuse, throwing a chair at a student and making a player stay late for practice and costing him a job, according to the report.

By MyCentralJersey.com reported Thursday McGlynn had supporters at the game — including in Metuchen head coach Mike Warnock, McGlynn's former assistant coach. The report said Warnock wore a Highland Park T-shirt beneath this own coaching jacket, and had his son wear a Highland Park T-shirt with the word "family" on the back.

Several recent graduates joint current students, one holding a sign saying "I'm with Coach Mac," the report said.

According to an earlier MyCentralJersey.com report, McGlynn's attorney has denied the accusations against him.

The students first made the allegations at Monday's Board of Education meeting.

A week ago, Rutgers' women's swimming coach resigned after allegations of "Mike Rice" tactics of bullying and verbally abusing team members. That's despite Rutgers saying in a statement an investigation didn't turn up any violations of university policy.

Rice is the former men’s basketball coach caught on video in 2012 using what he later called “in your face” coaching methods, leading to his firing and a major shakeup of the school’s athletic program.

Metuchen won Thursday's game 41-8.

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