Mesa Desert Ridge High Football Turmoil Enters Another Week: Head Coach Miles Smith Reportedly Resigns, District Says No Formal Resignation Received
The weeks-long turmoil around the football program at Desert Ridge High School in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona, took another turn this week. According to reporting by The Arizona Republic on October 19, head coach Miles Smith has resigned, a development a player's parent confirmed to the newspaper. However, Dawn Mackay, chief communications and community engagement officer for Gilbert Public Schools, said that as of Monday evening the district had not received an official resignation, and the coach's status remained unconfirmed.
The controversy began on October 5, when Smith dismissed senior starting quarterback Gunner Brewer after Brewer changed a play during a 14-12 victory over Vail Cienega three days earlier. On October 7, twelve teammates walked out of a team meeting in support of Brewer and were suspended for the remainder of the season; five of the suspended players were seniors. Brewer returned to support his teammates during Desert Ridge's October 15 game against Corona del Sol.
Smith's father, former NFL head coach Lovie Smith, had served as a volunteer assistant and is also reportedly leaving the program. The situation drew further attention on October 9, when Lovie Smith was involved in a heated confrontation with a football booster before a game against Mesa Red Mountain. The Desert Ridge Jaguars went 0-10 last season and are rebuilding this year; the team is scheduled to play at Gilbert Highland on Friday, October 23. Heading into the final weeks of the season, the program's coaching situation and the status of the twelve suspended players remain open questions. (GSM, based on reporting by The Arizona Republic and USA Today)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Mesa 市政厅资料图。摄影：Ixnayonthetimmay，CC BY 3.0（Wikimedia Commons）
