1988 Carter-Odessa Permian

[Stallion]

just finished watching Friday Nite Lights. I think Carter had 13 players get Division 1A scholarships from Coach Freddie James' team that year. How many can you name. I'm sure some of these might be the wrong year or school, but I got LB Jessie Armstead(Miami), QB Robert Hall(TT), Greg Hill or was it Darrin Lewis (A&M), Le'shai Maston (Baylor), TE Greg Hill(SMU)., CB Gary Edwards(Arkansas) I think Loyd Hill may have been a soph on Odessa although he might have been from Midland Lee. Funny the biggest star was the FS who made such a fool of himself by signing his letter of intent with Tennessee from a Hot Tub and then 5 days later was arrested with about 3 of teammates for armed robbery. Something like Abramson or something. Just goes to show you fame is fleeting. Also, enjoyed to cameo appearance by former SMU assistant Scott Smith who was Head Coach last year at Odessa Permian but who now I think is back in the Metroplex at I want to say Rockwall. I pretty sure that was his son Shea wearing No. 20 as the QB in a lot of the live action.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Yes, that was a very talented team. I remember it quite well, mostly because of the controversy involving Gary Edwards and his algebra grade. It caused quite a stir in the DISD back in the day.If I remember,Edwards was arrested along with Derric Evans(The Hot Tub guy). In addition to those 3 teammates, I also remember that a player from my old HS, Hillcrest, also got arrested for those crimes as he was friends with them and participated in some of the robberies.
All those guys you listed were indeed from Carter and Lloyd Hill did go to Permian. I remember seeing a story sometime ago in the DMN about Gary Edwards. I believe he was working with Schepps Dairy or something like that. Don't know about Evans but I heard that they've gone straight.

[RGV Pony]

Permian had at least 2 underclassmen on the team who went D-1...QB Stoney Case (whose name is listed third on the depth chart shown in the movie) and a DT or TE, whose last name I believe was Williamson, both of whom went to UNM. Of course there were a lot of theatrical licenses taken w/ the movie...e.g. the game was the semis in Austin, not the finals in Houston...but the first one I noticed was the first game of the year. It was supposed to be Marshall they were playing...Bennett's old stomping grounds, and in the movie the jerseys said "DAWGS." Last I checked, Marshall is the Mavericks...oh, and at the other end of the movie, coach Billy Bob says, "we got a six-hour ride ahead of us" from Odessa to Houston. Anyone ever drive from Odessa to Houston? Not in six hours you didn't.

[OC Mustang]

I am from Marshall originally. They are the Mavericks. I was at the Marshall-Permian game (was a freshman at SMU, and as they had no football that year; therefore, we went back for that games and a number of playoff games). Marshall actually won 13-12 on a blistering oppressively hot East Texas Saturday afternoon starting at 1pm. Miles did not play because he had been injured during a scrimmage early in the season. That story didn't work for the movie though...too nuanced.

Interestingly enough, there is a scene toward the end of the movie at half-time during the game vs. Carter where Gaines (BB Thornton) points at Boobie Miles character and says that Boobie would die to be out there playing. Next to Boobie's character there is an assistant coach. He fills the frame for a moment before the camera narrows to just Boobie's character. That assistant coach was the real Boobie Miles. I got chills the first time I saw it.

OP was unbelievable that year and the next. Lloyd Hill was a Junior in 1988, and he is not featured prominently in the film (but he was VERY prominent in games). Carter, Lee, and Marshall were Permian's only losses, and Marshall lost to Carter the game before Carter vs OP in the playoffs 22-17 with seconds left. Armstead pulled out last second heroics.
Carter had the single most amazing defense I have seen play the game EVER in high school in 5 states (AR, LA, TX, CA, WA). They ran a 5-2 front, man coverage, with alternating safety blitzes just about every down. Every one of their skill position players ran better than a 4.6. Preternatural speed at the high school level. The only reason that their defensive backfield ever got beat is that James let them play undisciplined when he wanted to take the gloves off. Sometimes that didn't go so well.

Thanks for bringing this up, Stallion. I am nostalgic now. I recall earlier playoffs...Judson and Chris Pryor. Plano's rotating offensive lines. Man, good memories and fun games.

Thx.

[PlanoStang]

Also, the Permian - Carter game was a semi-final I believe. I remember going to a Carter - Converse Judson game (I think) for the 88 state championship in Texas Stadium a week later.

[No Quarter]

At the close of the book, Friday Night Lights, I think there is a footnote to the effect that Permian won state in football next year.

Would that be the Permian team that beat HP, including David Richards, in Texas Stadium?

[mavsrage311]

a friend of mine told me Michael Strahan was on that Carter team

[ThadFilms]

Incorrect...

This is all from an interview I remember from a few years back-

Strahan spent most of his young life in Germany. Attending an english language high school in Manheim. After graduation (with his family remaining in Germany), he spent one year at a high school in Houston. That was the first time he played football. He took the only scholarship offered... Texas Southern.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

a friend of mine told me Michael Strahan was on that Carter team

Your friend is probably confusing Strahan for Armstead since Jessie played for the Giants as well

[lawless]

I think the "Case" on the depth chart may have referred to Stoney's older brother Stormy. I was impressed that the filmmaker bothered with being so thorough, regardless. I wonder if a Jesuit-ex was on the crew--obviously, they'd have been in the TCIL playoffs, not the public 5As, as portrayed in the flick.

I was a little taken aback at the suggestion that Carter got where it did in '88 through cheating. I certainly don't remember much dirty-play discussion surrounding that team.

Gotta go back through the DVD now to see the real Boobie Miles--obviously an exciting night at Rancho Lawless...

[mavsrage311]

a friend of mine told me Michael Strahan was on that Carter team

Your friend is probably confusing Strahan for Armstead since Jessie played for the Giants as well

ahh...thats what came to mind when I saw someone mention Armstead in there, thanks for clearing that up

[ThadFilms]

Lawless-

As per Odessa playing Jesuit in the playoffs, true that couldn't happen... but from having read the book, and also beeing a Jesuit "fan" (my brother went there from 83-87, and I was there 93-97), I do in fact know that Permian played Jesuit in the REGULAR season that year. So, whether anyone on the crew went to Jesuit, I don't know- but I think it was probably more a matter of dropping in a better known team, from the regular season than some sort of conspiracy to prop up Jesuit.

BTW, Permian destroyed Jesuit 48-2 in that game... and in Permians real opening game, they beat Amarillo Tascosa 31-7.

-----------------------

Other discrepancies...

Obviously the Carter-Permian game was a semifinal game. Three years later Carter was stripped of their title due to eleigibility issues.

The semi-final/Carter-Permian game was not played at the Astrodome. They played the game at Memorial Stadium in Austin.

Boobie Miles was injured in a pre-season scrimmage.

[BrianTinBigD]

Check out this site if you are interested:
http://www.fridaynighthistory.com/permian80.html

Here is the info on Permian that year:

1988
Season (13-2)
District (5-1)
Coach: Gary Gaines

PER 49 El Paso Austin 0
PER 12 Marshall 13
PER 35 Amarillo 14
PER 35 Odessa* 7
PER 42 Midland* 0
PER 49 Abilene* 0
PER 48 Dallas Jesuit 2
PER 56 Abilene Cooper* 14
PER 21 Midland Lee* 22
PER 41 San Angelo Central* 7
PER 31 Amarillo Tascosa - BI DISTRICT 7
PER 41 El Paso Andress - AREA 13
PER 48 Irving Nimitz - REGIONAL 7
PER 21 Arlington Lamar - Q FINALS 7
PER 1* Dallas Carter - SEMI-FINALS 0*-Carter won the game 14-9 but was later forced to forfeit for using an ineligible player