A Friday Night Lights Confession

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

High school football is right around the corner!

Now hold-on, I haven't lost my mind!  And, I'm not talking about spring practice.

The imaginary high school football season in the town of Dillon, Texas on NBC's Friday Night Lights kicks-off April 30th, and I for one couldn't be more excited!  And, yes, I know that Season 4 of FNL has already aired on DirectTV.

But, for those of us without a dish, we can't wait to see what happens as Eric Taylor (actor Kyle Chandler) takes over the reigns of newly re-opened East Dillon High School.

And, as a matter of full disclosure, I'm a recent convert to this great drama that seems to always have the specter of TV executives holding an ax over its head because of a lack of ratings.

Check-out my Friday Night Lights confession on my High School Football America Blog.

So, with the Season 4 season opener about five weeks away, check-out a behind-the-scenes video shot for DirectTV.

Friday Night Lights on Tuesday with Billy Bob Thornton

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Just got back from a meeting in St. Louis where I met Billy Bob Thornton, the star of Friday Night Lights, who is currently working on producing a movie on Cardinals manager Tony La Russa's book 3 Nights in August. FNL's author Buzz Bissinger is also the author of La Russa's book.

Billy Bob was very cool...just like you'd expect him to be!!

I enjoyed a five minute conversation with him on baseball. For those of you that don't know, the Academy Award winning actor had aspirations of being a major league baseball player for the Redbirds, but the closest he got, was his current close friendship with La Russa.

Before the end of the chat, I asked Billy Bob for his thoughts on Gary Gaines returning to the sidelines at Odessa Permian this fall.

"It should be interesting," replied Thorton, who played the tough nose Gaines in 2004 movie.

Click here to read an earlier Huddle story on Gaines returning to the Permian sidelines.

Gaines Returns to Friday Night Lights at Permian

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

It's been 20-years since Gary Gaines roamed a high school sideline, but the man, who is the centerpiece of the the Friday Night Lights book by H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger is back in Odessa. Click here to read a story in USA Today on Gaines return to be the head coach at Odessa Permian.

For more high school football news from Texas, click here to go to the Texas High School Football Huddle.

Texas High School Football Scoreboard - Week 6

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle


The team that beat Odessa Permian in the state championship game in the movie and Pulitzer Prize winning book Friday Night Lights is making some noise this year. Dallas Carter improved to 6-0 this season with a 39-16 win over Kimball Saturday.

Click here for a game recap.

Texas High School Football Scores
Saturday, October 11, 2008

Class 5A
Abilene 63, Weatherford 12
Aldine Nimitz 15, Humble Atascocita 10
Alief Taylor 20, Houston Spring Woods 0
Brownsville Porter 32, San Benito 25
Cypress Ridge 21, Cypress Fairbanks 14
Fort Bend Kempner 28, Fort Bend Dulles 24
Fort Bend Marshall 21, Fort Bend Willowridge 9
Houston Chavez 55, Houston Milby 6
Houston Langham Creek 40, Cypress Falls 33
Katy Cinco Ranch 35, Katy Taylor 0
Klein Collins 21, Spring 17
Klein Forest 38, Spring Dekaney 7
Laredo United 35, Eagle Pass 13
SA Clark 32, SA O'Connor 31, OT
SA MacArthur 12, SA Churchill 10
SA Marshall 44, SA Holmes 19
SA Southwest 56, Laredo Alexander 0

Class 4A
Dallas Carter 39, Dallas Kimball 16
Galena Park 28, Humble Kingwood 0
Houston Austin 7, Houston Yates 6
Houston Davis 33, Houston Sharpstown 22
Houston Furr 42, Houston Sterling 0
Houston Kashmere 7, Houston Wheatley 6
Houston Westbury 56, Houston Reagan 0
SA Edison 29, SA Brackenridge 14
Seagoville 56, North Dallas 20

Six-Man
Trinidad 83, Avalon 57

Other Schools
Amarillo Heritage Classical 57, Amarillo Holy Cross 19
Arlington Fellowship 59, Joshua Christian 14
Brownsville St. Joseph 15, SA Holy Cross 12
Colleyville Covenant 67, Carrollton Prince of Peace 22
Dallas Tyler Street 76, Rockwall Fulton 12
Dickinson Pine Drive 75, Buckholts 45
Duncanville Christway 52, Waco Parkview Christian 7
EP Immanuel 65, Fort Hancock 38
Lubbock Christian 33, Carrollton Christian 13
SA Central Catholic 49, Harlingen Marine Military 14
FW Nazarene 80, Dallas Academy 31
Houston Emery-Weiner 25, Pasadena First Baptist 24
West Columbia Charter 48, Seguin Lifegate 0