High school football coach, made famous by ‘Friday Night Lights,’ passes away in Texas
By Adam Spencer
Published:
High school football coach Gary Gaines, made popular by the book (and later the movie and TV show of the same name) “Friday Night Lights” has passed away at the age of 73 in Lubbock, Texas.
Per a report from ESPN, Gaines had been battling Alzheimer’s disease for a long time.
The book, by Buzz Bissinger, chronicled the 1988 season at Odessa Permian High School. In the movie, which was released in 2004, Gaines was portrayed by Billy Bob Thornton:
The book, which portrayed Gaines as a compassionate coach caught in the win-at-all-costs culture of a high school program in football-crazed Texas, also was turned into a TV series.
Permian lost in the state semifinals in 1988, a season that included the loss of star running back James “Boobie” Miles to a knee injury during a preseason scrimmage. Miles’ character played a prominent role in the movie.
Gaines’ team would go on to win the title in 1989 with a perfect season. He had 2 stints as Permian’s head coach, and also spent time in the college ranks as an assistant at Texas Tech and the head coach at Abilene Christian.
In the high school ranks, he also spent time as the coach at Abilene High and San Angelo Central, which are 2 of Permian’s biggest rivals.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
