Legendary Texas high school football coach Gary Gaines dies at 73

Legendary Texas high school football head coach Gary Gaines died at the age of 73, his family announced on Monday. Most famous for leading Odessa Permian to a state championship in 1989, he was featured in both the book and movie Friday Night Lights.

Gaines spent the majority of his career in West Texas, coaching at both the high school and college levels. Texas Tech was the first collegiate program to employ Gaines, working as the linebackers coach for three seasons. He was also the head coach at Abilene Christian University, sporting a 21-30 overall record over five seasons.

In the high school ranks, Gaines got his start at Petersberg High School and was in the industry for 35 years. The state championship with Permian was the only of his storied career, winning at the 5A level — then the highest classification in Texas High School Football.

Just a season before, Gaines was one of the main characters in the book version of Friday Night Lights. It captured the spirit of high school football in the western part of the Lone Star State. While nationally he may be known as the head coach in the book, Gaines is best known in West Texas for his accomplishments on the field in 1989.

After leaving Permian for the aforementioned Texas Tech job after the championship, Gaines bounced around before returning. He spent four final years in high school football with the Panthers. Although the magic from the late 1980s was never recreated, Gaines got to retire at the place he made a name for himself.

Once off the sidelines, Gaines spent time as an athletic director in two school districts.  Ector County Independent School District (district that Permian calls home) and Lubbock Independent School District employed Gaines before he made his coaching return to the Panthers.