Desert Edge football coaches Marcus, Mark Carter, resign after program put on probation

Marcus and Mark Carter, who led Goodyear Desert Edge to the 5A football final last season, announced on social media platforms Tuesday that they have resigned.

On Monday, the Arizona Interscholastic Association's Executive Board placed the school's football program and boys' track and field on probation for the 2024-25 school year over a recruiting violation that the school reported to the AIA.

Mark Carter was head boys track and field coach, as well, with most of his athletes football players.

Last week, Desert Edge suspended Mark Carter for the 2024 football season but kept him as its head boys' track coach to get out in front of the recruiting violation ahead of Monday's AIA board meeting. The Agua Fria district put out a statement last week that Marcus Carter would remain as the head football coach for next season.

But the brothers have been inseparable during their coaching careers. On Tuesday afternoon, Mark Carter announced their resignation on X and Facebook.

He said the resignation was effective immediately.

"We want to thank the Agua Fria Union High School District for the opportunity to impact student-athletes through extracurricular activities. We are proud of all the great things we’ve accomplished. In 4 years 52 players with the opportunity to play at the next level and 19 of those 52 were Division 1 players,'' the post said, going on to include the team's achievements under their leadership.

Eric O'Connor, an attorney who is offering guidance to upset Desert Edge parents but not officially representing anyone, looked deeper into the alleged recruiting violation and told The Arizona Republic that he didn't see a violation. He said that parents are going to battle the AIA over the probation status.

The violation involved social media.

After a father posted asking about good schools for his son to attend, Mark Carter responded with "Desert Edge." That led to some back-and-forth. The student has not transferred, O'Connor said, adding that the student wasn't a football player.

O'Connor, researching the alleged recruiting violation, said the student's names name was added to his current school's football team 2023 MaxPreps roster in late March, the day of the social-media post.

"They tried to prove that he played football so that the football program got lumped into it," O'Connor said. "When it was really just a track issue, at most. The kid is probably as big as my 7-year-old."

O'Connor said he's done dozens of these cases, and even went to court against the AIA many times.

"But this one, the AIA is not right or wrong," O'Connor said. "Desert Edge isn't even saying they're wrong. They're not trying anything. Just doing stuff to hopefully appease the AIA."

A petition was started on change.org urging the AIA to reverse the decision.

O'Connor said he talked to Mark Carter and thought that he might resign. But O'Connor was surprised to hear that both brothers resigned.

Desert Edge can appeal the AIA board's decision to place the programs on probation. With this move by the brothers, it is likely that probation (being ineligible for postseason competition next school year) for both football and boys' track and field will be rescinded by the AIA board once it hears the appeal.

"It is what it is," O'Connor said. "They can take their talents somewhere else. They're really good coaches. It sucks for the kids who went to that school, because there's mentors, there's an atmosphere they wanted. There's not a lot of African-American coaches to look up to. They're giving back to the community."

The Carter twins were chosen at the end of last season as The Republic's Coaches of the Year. They were also named the Arizona Cardinals' High School Football Coaches of the Year.

The Carters were highlighted during the first season of azcentral.com's video documentary series "Beyond the Gridiron'' in 2019, when they were co-head football coaches at South Mountain High School.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Desert Edge football coaches Marcus, Mark Carter resign