Carson Palmer returning to alma mater as new Santa Margarita varsity football coach

Carson Palmer is the new Santa Margarita football coach. (Photo courtesy Santa Margarita High School).

Former Santa Margarita Catholic High School football standout Carson Palmer, who had a 15-year NFL career and who was a Heisman Trophy winner at USC, has been named new head varsity football coach for the Eagles, school officials announced Thursday.

Vice President of Athletics Jim Hartigan, former football coach at the school, said in a release he is looking forward to seeing his former quarterback lead the program.

“Coach Palmer was entrusted with the program as a player and now is entrusted as the program’s head coach,” Hartigan said. “We are in good hands. I’m excited to see Carson lead our team. He is a player-centric leader who will surround himself with coaches with his same desire to continue the success of Eagle football.”

Palmer graduated from Santa Margarita in 1998 and was the quarterback on back-to-back CIF championship teams for the Eagles. He then went on to earn All-American honors and a scholarship to USC, leading the Trojans to an Orange Bowl victory as a senior. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2002 at USC as the nation’s top player

Palmer was selected as the first overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

He was then a two-time Pro Bowl selection during a 15-season NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals. He led the NFL in passing yards in 2015.

“Please join us in welcoming home Carson Palmer to the Santa Margarita Catholic High School community,” athletic officials said in a release. “We look forward to an exciting season ahead under his leadership.

Palmer replaces Anthony Rouzier, who was the Eagles coach for the past five seasons.

The school issued a statement Thursday regarding Rouzier:

“Earlier this year, Coach Rouzier reported an incident to the administration that involved allegations of student misconduct in the locker room, and he was then placed on a leave of absence related to the incident. There has been confusion in the community that has led to some unintended misperceptions. His leave had nothing to do with any concerns by us that Coach Rouzier personally posed a threat to any of his players’ safety and wellbeing.

“Coach Rouzier worked to create an environment and culture of safety, respect, mentorship, and inclusivity in our football program. We thank Coach Rouzier for his contributions to the school and community.

“After five seasons as the head coach of the Santa Margarita Catholic High School football team, we and Coach Rouzier have parted ways as we both pursue new opportunities. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Source: Santa Margarita High School athletics; Tim Burt of OC Sports Zone contributed to this story (timburt@ocsportszone.com).