‘I’d rather be starting our football season’
Even though it’s six months away and he’s coaching golf, Mount Carmel’s Lynch can see the light
Mount Carmel’s Jordan Lynch coaching golf with six months to go until football begins.
If Jordan Lynch had his way, he would have been wearing a headset on the sideline last Friday night and more than likely guiding defending Class 7A state champion Mount Carmel to a lopsided seasonopening victory.
Let’s be real. It would have taken longer for the Caravan to navigate the 23.6-mile trip from Mount Carmel to Gary, Indiana, than they would have needed to build a two-touchdown lead against Calumet.
Instead, Lynch is providing instruction to Caravan golfers as a first-year assistant coach.
At least the 2009 Mount Carmel graduate will avoid the pesky nighttime buzz of hungry mosquitoes.
“I’m enjoying coaching golf, but I’d rather be starting our football season,” Lynch said. “We should be kicking off on the field, and it stinks. I feel bad for the kids. But you have to be patient with what we’re going through as a country.”
The coronavirus pandemic has achieved what opponents of the Caravan likely wouldn’t have this fall — deny victory to Lynch’s team.
Either way, fall or spring, Mount Carmel is going to be tough to beat.
Led by quarterback Justin Lynch, the coach’s brother, and two-way standout Kenenna Odeluga, this senior class has yet to taste defeat in football in three years.
Thirty-two up, thirty-two down, including a 14-0 record last season.
With 16 returning starters back, the Caravan were ready to set the tone against Calumet.
“The senior group is so special,” Lynch said. “They’re very determined and talented. We’re very excited about this team.
“The one thing about the season being pushed back is that it’s allowing all the players to keep working out and getting bigger and stronger.
They’re getting more time to be Caravan tough. Everyone wants to play football and be around each other.”
It didn’t help matters on Aug. 21 when Lynch saw high school teams from Indiana open up their season.
“I’m watching the news on TV, and they’re showing highlights from a football game in Indiana,” he said. “That was really hard to watch.”
Even harder is having to wait until the first official day of practice on Feb. 15 — nearly six months from now.
The bit of good news is football teams are allowed 20 contact days in September and October.
Lynch, who set multiple NCAA rushing and passing records and was a 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist as a quarterback at Northern Illinois, doesn’t believe the Caravan will use all 20 days.
“We had a lot of good practices in the summer, and we were able to get a lot done,” he said. “I want to keep the players fresh. In spite of everything, they have a very good mindset. I don’t want to burn them out.”
Lynch has found a fun way to burn up some of his spare time by coaching golf.
“It’s been fun,” he said. “These are kids in the building who I would probably have never met. Different kids with different personalities but still great kids.”
There’s one familiar face on the golf team — Michael Dobrich, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound offensive lineman.
I asked Lynch what it’s like to see Dobrich step up to the tee and take a rip at the ball with his driver.
“It’s pretty cool watching a kid that big swing the golf club,” Lynch said. “When he connects, it goes a long way.”
I know what you’re thinking. How’s Lynch’s game, and has his instruction helped any golfers shave a few strokes off their scores?
“You’d have to ask them,” Lynch said with a laugh. “But I’m getting paid to coach golf, which I believe makes me a professional.”
Just for now.