David Gutierrez let go as Costa Mesa football coach

When he was hired in March, Costa Mesa High was hopeful that David Gutierrez could turn around the football program at the school.

Instead, Gutierrez’s tenure was short-lived. He has been fired after one season, Costa Mesa co-athletic director Mike Ofer said Saturday.

“The Athletic Administration at CMHS has removed Mr. Gutierrez from his coaching duties,” Ofer said in a text message.

He did not give a reason for the removal.

Gutierrez said in a text that there was a “difference in philosophy of how to support the program’s growth and success.”

Costa Mesa’s other co-athletic director Sharon Uhl, who hired Gutierrez in March, said she couldn’t comment on Gutierrez’s removal, as she was not in any of the meetings related to the change.

Uhl said the Costa Mesa football head coaching position will be posted on the Newport-Mesa Unified School District website next week.

The Mustangs went 0-10 in Gutierrez’s lone season in charge, losing to rival Estancia 75-0 in the Battle for the Bell game to close out the season. It was Costa Mesa’s fifth winless campaign in program history.

The loss to Estancia was the sixth game in which Costa Mesa was shut out this season. For the season, the Mustangs were outscored 490-26.

Gutierrez, a walk-on coach, was hired for his first high school head coaching job after four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Santa Ana. He replaced Glen Fisher, who stepped down in January after going a combined 9-21 in three seasons with the Mustangs.

Gutierrez had success with Santa Ana, helping the Saints reach the CIF Southern Section Division 13 championship game in 2016. Santa Ana joined the Orange Coast League this season, and beat Costa Mesa 79-0 on Sept. 27 on its way to the league title.

Sports editor David Carrillo Peñaloza contributed to this report.

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