Illinois High School Football Coach Faces Calls for Removal After Blowout Win

A Jacksonville High School football coach is facing criticism and calls for his removal following a 77-0 victory over Lincoln Community High School on Friday, with a rival coach alleging unsportsmanlike conduct.

Matt Silkowski, the recently departed head coach of Lincoln Community High School, publicly criticized Jacksonville coach Mark Grounds, stating he should be “removed immediately” for continuing to aggressively play starters late in the game despite a significant lead and Lincoln having substituted in junior varsity players. Silkowski made the comments Saturday on WLCN radio, and reiterated them in a follow-up interview with the State Journal-Register. “I’ve been coaching high school football for 18 years…and I’ve never in 18 years seen a coach leave their starters in and blitz and play the way that they did when you’re up over 40 points,” Silkowski said. He added that Grounds’ actions sent a “poor life lesson” to the players.

Grounds, who has coached at Jacksonville High School for 25 seasons and has a career record of 129-114, declined to comment when contacted by the State Journal-Register. Jacksonville finished the season 5-4 and qualified for the playoffs, while Lincoln concluded with a 1-8 record. This incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding sportsmanship and competitive balance in high school athletics, particularly when dealing with significant score disparities. The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) provides guidelines for sportsmanship and ethical conduct, but does not have specific rules regarding running up the score.

Silkowski, who is moving to Texas with his family after a 10-year tenure at Lincoln, also referenced a previous incident in 2016 where he felt Grounds acted unsportsmanlike. He stated that beating Jacksonville in 2023 to become playoff eligible for the first time since 1984 was “a personal thing for me.” The Central State Eight Conference football coaches are scheduled to meet on Sunday, November 2nd to discuss all-conference picks, a meeting that is likely to be tense given these recent events.

Officials have not yet responded to the allegations, and it remains to be seen whether any action will be taken against Coach Grounds.