iStockphoto
Mount Carmel suspends head coach Jordan Lynch.
Mount Carmel High School football coach Jordan Lynch received a minor suspension just one week before his team’s season opener. That punishment is a direct result of a practice violation.
The Caravan practiced in full pads during a restricted period. Lynch will miss two practices on game week.
The Illinois High School Association handed down the punishment late last week according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Lynch has been suspended two practices. His program has also been placed on probation for the remainder of the upcoming season.
Mount Carmel practiced in pads.
Mount Carmel High School is an all-boys Catholic high school in Chicago’s Woodland neighborhood. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, the school has been operated by the Carmelite order of priests and brothers since 1900.
Google Maps
Location of Chicago Mount Carmel High School on Illinois map.
The football team is currently ranked No. 1 in the state of Illinois and 37th nationally. It’s won 17 state titles since 1980, including each of the last four at the 7A level.
Lynch is a former college signal caller that suited up at Northern Illinois University. He finished third in the Heisman trophy voting in 2013.
The coach took over in 2018 following the retirement of legendary predecessor Frank Lenti. Since, Lynch has gone 89-11 with five state titles in eight seasons.
This year’s team has immense talent, headlined by five of the state’s top 50 recruits in the 2027 cycle. Four of those players are committed to Big Ten schools. Another is pledged to Notre Dame.
Their title pursuit got off on the wrong foot.
Photo showed illegal high school football practice.
Weird that this post is made, the school pictured is in full pads, that’s not able to happen until Tuesday., then getting pulled a couple of hours later… private school don’t operate the same IHSA rules as public’s… pic.twitter.com/CjTywei25C
— Thor Patrick Swanson (@thor2x152) August 8, 2026
A picture taken by a local reporter surfaced on social media last week. It caught the attention of Pat Swanson, an assistant coach at nearby Antioch Community High School.
The photo showed Mount Carmel football players in full pads. That was a no-no according to the IHSA athletic calendar.
During the first two days of practice, helmets and appropriate footwear should be the only protective equipment permitted. During days three through six, helmets, shoulder pads, and appropriate footwear should be the only protective equipment permitted.
Beginning on calendar day seven (Tuesday of Week 6 in the IHSA standardized calendar), all protective gear may be worn, and full contact may begin.
-IHSA rulebook
While the season technically got underway on August 5th, there were restrictions for the first few sessions. Practices held on August 5th and 6th must be helmets only. Practices on the 7th, 8th, and 10th are helmets and shoulder pads.
Only on the 11th could teams begin competing in full pads. This practice occurred prior to the 11th. Full pads were not allowed.
The initial photo was deleted, but Swanson grabbed a screenshot before it disappeared. The incriminating evidence gave the IHSA no choice but to act.
Hmm, full pads already… weird the public’s have to wait until Tuesday…
— Thor Patrick Swanson (@thor2x152) August 8, 2026
Practice violations can result in harsh consequences. In Texas, Gainesville recently suspended its head coach for one full season due to the use of “contact equipment” in offseason sessions.
The punishment will not be quite as stiff for Lynch and Mount Carmel. Still, the coach will be suspended for two practices in Game 1 leadup.
It’s not the optimal start for the Caravan, who are looking to win a fifth straight Illinois state high school football title.