Morgan Park fires football coach Chris James

Morgan Park fired football coach Chris James on Monday. According to James, a Morgan Park alum widely regarded as the Public League's best coach, he was fired after refusing to immediately decide whether to return next season.

"I wanted to finish this season before making any decisions," James told the Sun-Times. "I have not taken any job or had any formal interviews with anyone. So I hadn't given them an answer yet. We had two meetings to talk about it. Even if I was going to leave at the end of the season, with everything I have done for Morgan Park, haven't I earned the right to finish the season and go out with my kids?

"They didn't want to wait for me to make a decision, so they fired me. That's the truth."

James planned to coach the team on Friday in the Public League playoffs, a consolation tournament. The Mustangs lost a close game to Providence in the Class 5A state playoffs on Saturday.

"I wanted to be at Morgan Park for 30 years," James said. "The principal at Morgan Park didn’t want me to be there."

According to James, Morgan Park pulled out of the Public League playoffs after firing him.

"The administration made an announcement and canceled practice and told me at 3 p.m. that I was relieved of my duties as head coach and to turn in my keys," James said. "That's what happened."

James coached the Mustangs to this season's de facto city championship, winning the Red title by knocking off Kenwood.

Morgan Park was 55-24 in James' nine years as coach with six consecutive state playoff appearances. James has sent nearly 30 players off to college football; his program has produced more high-level college recruits than any other Public League program over the past five years. The Mustangs were the only Public League team ranked in the Super 25 this season.

James graduated from Morgan Park in 2006 and went on to play college football at Illinois.

Morgan Park principal Dan Kuzma and CPS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.