Carson Palmer Names Son Starting Quarterback For Santa Margarita Football Opener

Santa Margarita will see a familiar name on the back of the jersey that's under center in its season opener on Friday night.

Fletch Palmer, the junior son of head coach Carson Palmer, has been named the starting quarterback for Eagles' season opener against Orlando's Jones High on Friday night at Saddleback College.

Fletch beat out Villa Park transfer Matt Smith and junior West Stansbury, who came from Coronado High in El Paso, Texas.

Fletch saw action in three games last fall, but attempted just seven passes. He did complete five attempts for a total of 74 yards, including a completion for 45 yards against Oaks Christian. Fletch Palmer is listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, according to the team's roster on MaxPreps.

Carson starred at Santa Margarita where he led the Eagles to back-to-back CIF titles and earned All-American, All-State, All-Southern Section, and All-CIF State honors before graduating in 1998, according to EaglesFootball.com. He went on to play at USC where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2002 before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Now his son will take over after Santa Margarita won the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship en route to the CIF State Open Division title last year.

Fletch got named the starter over Matt Smith, a transfer quarterback from Villa Park, who tossed for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. There are rumors swirling that since Smith didn't win the job, he's looking to transfer elsewhere in search of a starting job.

PALMER LED SANTA MARGARITA TO GLORY

When looking back at the 2025 high school football season in the CIF Southern Section, the lede is undoubtedly Santa Margarita — for a multitude of reasons.

Palmer came back to his old stomping grounds and won all the big prizes in year one.

Santa Margarita shared the Trinity League title with St. John Bosco and Mater Dei before going on to win the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and CIF State Open Division titles. The Eagles thumped Corona Centennial at the Rose Bowl 42-7 thanks to 10 catches for 292 yards and four touchdowns (two rushing) from Player of the Year Trent Mosley (who is now at USC).

Palmer would guide Santa Margarita to a rout of De La Salle two weeks later, 47-13, at Saddleback College in December to lift the CIF State crown and finish the season 11-3.

When Palmer lifted the CIF-SS Division 1 plaque at the championship podium in the Rose Bowl, it was the first time a program not named St. John Bosco or Mater Dei lifted the Southern Section's top division trophy since Corona Centennial did it in 2015.

SANTA MARGARITA 2026 SCHEDULE

*Trinity League

August 21: vs. Jones (FL)

August 28: at Corona Centennial

September 4: vs. Highland

September 12: Sacramento Inderkum

September 18: vs. Norco

October 2: vs. Mater Dei*

October 9: vs. Servite*

October 16: at St. John Bosco*

October 23: vs. JSerra*

October 30: at Orange Lutheran*

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