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Morgan Park football players, parents protest canceled postseason amid coaching dispute
Chicago's Morgan Park High School football players, parents and alumni are demanding answers after a coaching dispute led to the cancellation of the team's postseason Prep Bowl appearance.
CHICAGO - A coaching controversy at Morgan Park High School has sparked protests from students, parents and alumni after the school abruptly ended its football season, eliminating the team's opportunity to compete in the postseason Prep Bowl.
Conflicting accounts of coach's departure
What we know:
Hundreds of protesters gathered Tuesday, Nov. 10, chanting "We want C.J.!" and "Let them play!" as families demanded answers about the decision and the future of the school's football program.
The Mustangs are back-to-back Chicago Public League city champions. According to MaxPreps rankings cited during FOX Chicago's reporting, the team ranked sixth in Illinois Class 5A and 47th statewide.
At the center of the dispute is longtime head football coach Chris "C.J." James, who has led the program for nine years.
In a letter to families, Morgan Park Principal Dan Kuzma stated that James had informed student-athletes and families during the second half of the season that he would be leaving and had accepted another coaching position.
Kuzma cited the leadership transition as the reason the school would not participate in the optional postseason Prep Bowl competition.
"Given the transition in leadership atop Morgan Park's Football Program, it is not viable to compete in the optional, after-season upcoming Prep Bowl sequence," Kuzma wrote.
But James' sister, Kahlia James, disputes the principal's account.
"Coach C.J. did not resign at all. He never made a statement," she said.
The conflicting accounts raise questions about whether James voluntarily decided to leave, whether he was dismissed and why another coach could not oversee the team through the remaining postseason competition.
Families raise college recruiting concerns
Local perspective:
Families say the controversy extends beyond the football field.
Some parents allege players lost access to their Hudl accounts, an online platform used to store game footage and share highlights with college recruiters.
Those claims have not been independently verified.
"It messes with kids who are trying to get into college, who need those Hudl footages and videos so that they can share those with college recruiters," said football parent Tiffany Burnett.
Morgan Park has developed players who have attracted attention from major college programs. Four-star safety Darrell Mattison has committed to Ole Miss, but families worry other athletes still seeking opportunities could be affected by the disruption.
Kahlia James described the players as devastated.
"They have taken away opportunities, recruitment opportunities for them, scholarships," she said.
While families fear recruiting consequences, it has not been established that any player has lost a scholarship because of the school's decision.
Why couldn't the team finish its season?
What we don't know:
The principal's letter states Morgan Park completed its state playoff run on Saturday, Nov. 7, and that no additional practices would be held during the 2026 season.
However, parents argue that the team still had an opportunity to compete in the Prep Bowl.
"We think that this is unfair, and they deserve this opportunity to continue to play. They earned it," Kahlia James said.
Football parent Ashley Harris also questioned the decision to end the season before the optional postseason competition.
The controversy has left families demanding to know whether school officials considered appointing an interim coach, who authorized any restrictions on players' access to recruiting footage and whether the cancellation was necessary.
School plans to name new coach by January
What's next:
Kuzma's letter says the school intends to appoint a new head football coach by Jan. 1, 2027, with input from student-athletes and families.
FOX Chicago has reached out to Kuzma and Chicago Public Schools seeking additional answers about the coaching dispute, the Prep Bowl decision and parents' allegations regarding player access to Hudl accounts.
As of this report, those additional questions have not been answered.
The Source: The information in this report came from FOX Chicago reporting, interviews with families and a letter from Morgan Park High School Principal Dan Kuzma.