Kenny Perry spent plenty of time in the high school football ranks to have a flood of memories from his time leading Holton City and Arlington Bowie.
Asked his favorite of them all, the Texas Tech associate head coach had a clear choice: a victory over the man he now calls a boss.
"Beating Joey McGuire on a Friday night at Cedar Hill," Perry said. "Obviously, that was the year before, where he could have beat me by 100, and then going to Cedar Hill and beating him, that was a highlight. He'll tell you that was a lowlight for him."
Taking on Houston inside Galaxy Stadium, the night where high school football rules the roost in Texas — a sticking point for McGuire for the Red Raiders being placed into the Friday night game on FOX — isn't an ideal
spot for Texas Tech. Not just because of the quick turnaround from the trip to Oregon State, but also because of how ingrained the Red Raider staff is in the TXHSFB scene, so much so that McGuire said he's going to wear his Texas High School Coaches Association hat before the game in their honor.
John Curry's played plenty of Friday night games in Lubbock, having graduated from Coronado High School. The Mustangs played their home games at Lowrey Field, the final season opener being the one that stands out to Curry.
"We played Frenship, and it was the first game in Texas that year," Curry recalled of that Thursday-night tilt, which Coronado won 20-14. "I remember walking out like an hour before the game, our side of the stands was completely blacked out and their side of the stands was completely blued out, and it was just like there's still another hour and these people are already packing out the stadium, and that just goes to show how important Friday Night Lights are in Texas."
Defensive teammate A.J. Holmes grew up in Houston, where he also began his collegiate career. It'll be the second year in a row that Holmes plays against his former school. His memory of high school comes from his sophomore year, when Holmes' Westfield squad played Dallas Jesuit in the third round of the playoffs at NRG Stadium.
Dallas Jesuit featured E.J. Smith, the son of Dallas Cowboys great Emmitt Smith. The elder Smith boarded the Westfield bus to give some props.
"We beat them," Holmes recalled, "and then after the game, Emmitt Smith was like, 'That's the best high school defense I've ever seen.' So year, shoutout Westfield."
You always remember your first, and that's the case for Kenny Johnson and Cameron Dickey. Johnson's fondest memory of his high school days involves an impressive stat line in his varsity debut.
"I had a crazy game," Johnson recalled with a chuckle. "My first game, I think I had like six catches, five touchdowns, 200 (yards)."
Dickey was a record-setting running back at Crockett High School in Austin. His memorable moment came in the playoffs of his senior year, when he guided Crockett to its first playoff win in 26 years, beating Waco University and scoring the game-winning touchdown with 38 seconds left.
"It was a pretty good game," Dickey said, "but for sure that game."
Playing on a Friday isn't something McGuire has wanted since the game was rumored earlier this year, but his players also understand the spotlight it brings.
"It's an honor that we're going to get to play on Friday," Curry said, "and all eyes are going to be on us."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Houston game brings Friday Night Lights memories for Texas Tech football
