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Cory Mentzer will not be the head football coach at Charlotte (FL) High School in 2026. His time roaming the sidelines has come to an end with a surprise resignation.
Not many details are known as to why the decision was made. The coach suggested that those closest to him at the school schemed against him to force his exit.
Mentzer took over for his alma mater in 2022. Across four seasons, he led the Fightin’ Tarpons to a 19-23 overall record.
The coach appeared to have the program headed in an upward trajectory. After losing 14 of his first 20 games, he led the team to a combined 13-9 mark in 2024 and 2025.
Charlotte was 6-5 this past season, which was good enough to book a ticket to the 5A Florida High School Athletic Association Playoffs. The Tarpons lost in the opening round to Manatee, 28-21.
Not long after, Mentzer was shown the door.
Florida High School Football Coach Won’t Resign ‘Quietly’
Patrick Obley of Your Sun says the school asked Cory Mentzer to “quietly resign” this offseason. No reasoning on that decision has been made public.
The coach chose not to honor that request.
Mentzer stepped down from his post over the weekend. He refused to stay silent.
— Cory Mentzer (@CoryMentzer) December 19, 2025
He posted a cryptic message on social media following his mystery resignation. He says those he trusted turned against him.
“Even Jesus sat at the table with the one who would eventually sell him out,” he wrote. “It’s a heavy weight to realize that the people you broke bread with, strategized with, and considered friends were the ones planning your exit.
“But just as the betrayal of Judas couldn’t stop the resurrection, this setback won’t stop what God has planned for me next!”
Cory Mentzer will no longer be a football coach at the high school he once attended. Those he believed were close to him forced his exit.
He made sure to publicize the treachery on his way out the door. He’ll now look for his next coaching stop.