After considering more than 50 scholarship offers, Mount Carmel’s Roman Igwebuike wrapped up his recruiting process in July when he committed to Notre Dame.
But the senior linebacker isn’t thinking too much about the future. It’s all about now as the Caravan embark on a quest for a fifth straight state championship.
“I’m definitely fired up to get down to South Bend and play some ball, but my biggest priority is where I’m at now,” Igwebuike said. “I want to make sure we get this fifth state title and make more history.
“It was a big deal being able to end my recruiting process by giving my commitment to a team that I love, and now I can give all my focus and all my energy toward being the best player and best teammate I can be for Mount Carmel.”
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Igwebuike is part of a stacked roster for the Caravan, which comes in at No. 1 in the baiduhai and Daily Southtown preseason rankings.
He’s one of five seniors committed to high-major programs, along with defensive back Tavares Harrington (Michigan), defensive lineman Darin Graham (Wisconsin), receiver Quentin Burrell (Michigan) and offensive lineman Chase Clark (Purdue).
But Igwebuike’s importance extends beyond his talent, according to coach Jordan Lynch.
“He’s been starting for us since he was a sophomore,” Lynch said. “It’s crazy. I feel like he’s been here for seven years. He’s been one of the leaders through the offseason. He’s been the voice of this team.”
With that in mind, Igwebuike knows that his words will ring hollow if he doesn’t back them up in the way he plays.
“You can’t speak if you don’t do it,” he said. “I can’t tell the people around me to do something if I’m not doing it myself. As the captain of the defense, I really preach effort and if you lead a certain way through your actions, people will follow and want to do it themselves.”
Harrington sees Igwebuike living up to that philosophy every day.
It’s been that way ever since Igwebuike arrived at Mount Carmel as a sophomore after spending his freshman year at Crown Point in Indiana.
“His first day of school, they brought him into gym class and I was the first one to introduce myself to him,” Harrington said. “Roman is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met. He doesn’t stop.
“He might come in and feel tired one day but he’s still going to go all out. He gets the team hyped. He’s one of the best leaders I’ve been around.”
This preseason, as Mount Carmel breaks in a new quarterback in senior Ryder Startz and several other newcomers on offense, Igwebuike has certainly challenged them.
“There are times in practice where I have to tell our defensive coordinator to take him out because he’s messing up our offensive drills,” Lynch said of Igwebuike.
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It’s why Igwebuike loves defense, explaining that “you have to have a ferociousness that not a lot of offensive players have.”
But he actually played quarterback in eighth grade and as a freshman at Crown Point before Mount Carmel moved him back to his preferred side of the ball.
That quarterback experience, though, has proven to be invaluable. Someone with the speed and hitting ability of Igwebuike is scary enough for a quarterback.
But when he knows the way you’re thinking? Look out.
“I definitely think it helped a lot playing quarterback,” Igwebuike said. “As a quarterback, you have to read the defense and know the routes the receivers are going to run.
“From the linebacker’s point of view, I feel like sometimes I know what the quarterback’s first read is going to be and I can get there.”
Quick hits
Team: Mount Carmel.
2025 record: 14-0.
Offensive leaders: Quentin Burrell, senior, receiver; Chase Clark, senior, lineman; Nate Samuels, senior, running back; Marshaun Thornton, junior, receiver.
Defensive leaders: Darin Graham, senior, lineman; Tavares Harrington, senior, defensive back; Roman Igwebuike, senior, linebacker; Caleb Tucker, junior, lineman.
X-factor: Ryder Startz, senior, quarterback.