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This story was updated at 5:15 p.m. on Sept. 16.

Northwest High School head football coach Mark Maradei is being investigated for allegedly "pushing or shoving" a player, said Montgomery County Public Schools spokeswoman Kate Harrison.

Maradei has been suspended "pending the results of an investigation from an alleged incident," said Northwest's Athletic Director Jim Tapley.

The school administration is conducting the investigation and is hoping to reach a conclusion by the beginning of next week, he said. The team learned of the suspension Tuesday.

"This is standard [Montgomery County Public Schools] procedure," Tapley said. "It doesn't do anybody any good for us to do something rash."

Kevin Tehaan, an assistant coach at Northwest for several years and former junior varsity head coach, has been placed in charge of the team for the Jaguars' game at home Friday night against Bethesda-Chevy Chase.

Maradei is in his first year at Northwest, having taken over from Andrew Fields, who left to take an administrative position. An assistant coach in the county for several years, Maradei spent the last three seasons as head coach at Rockville High School, compiling a record of 17-14 during that time and guiding the Rams to the Class 2A state playoffs in 2007.

Maradei could not immediately be reached for comment.

It has already been a trying year in and around the Northwest football program, which lost its first two games of the season.

Shiane Dixon, 12, was killed in a car accident on June 29. Dixon was a track and field athlete and the younger sister of senior running back Hassan Dixon. Just over a week later, on July 6, sophomore defensive back Edwin "Dek" Miller died after collapsing during a conditioning session four days earlier.

The team observed a moment of silence in memory of the two young athletes before their first home game of the season on Sept. 11.