RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Illinois football powerhouse Mount Carmel has been put on probation for the 2026 high school season after the team practiced in full pads earlier than the state allowed.
Head coach Jordan Lynch has also been suspended for two practices as a result of the mishap.
High school football practices began on Aug. 5 and on Aug. 8, a local reporter posted a photo on X of the Caravan —who are ranked No. 24 in USA TODAY Sports' preseason Super 25 national rankings — practicing in full pads. The Illinois High School Association rules don’t allow full protective equipment and full contact until the sixth day of practice, meaning the team had violated that rule.
While the reporter deleted the original post, Antioch High School assistant football coach Thor Patrick Swanson later shared a screenshot of the post on his own X account.
According to the IHSA, Mount Carmel self-reported the violation on Aug. 10 and proposed self-imposed sanctions, which were accepted.
Lynch will sit out of practices on Aug. 17 and 18, which will allow him to be back prior to the Caravan's season opener against East St. Louis on Aug. 22.
A Heisman Trophy finalist and Mount Carmel graduate himself, Lynch has led his team to a 89-12 record and four consecutive state titles in eight seasons. The Caravan are currently on a 19-game win streak that dates back to October 2024.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Illinois high school football powerhouse on probation after rule violation
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