Freddie James, one of the most iconic high school football coaches ever, died on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 29, according to his family. He was 89 years old.
James helped turn Carter High School (Dallas, TX) into a powerhouse and one of the most dominant programs in Texas during his tenure from 1982 to 1995. During his 14-year run with Carter, James posted a 139-27-5 record.
The 1988 Carter football team is considered by many as the greatest Texas high school football team ever, despite the controversy surrounding the team, leading to it being stripped of its state championship due to an ineligible player.
James sent eight players to the NFL during his tenure, including Jessie Armstead, an All-Pro linebacker, who also played on that 1988 team.
James was born in 1937 and went on to play college football for head coach Billy Nicks at Prairie View A&M, where he was a running back and defensive back on the 1958 national championship team.
He began his coaching career six years later in 1964 at Spigner Colored School in Calvert, Texas, before eventually being named the head coach of Dallas Carter in 1982.
In 1986, James was inducted into the inaugural Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame. The legacy of James resulted in two different films about his career, including "Friday Night Lights" in 2004 and "Carter High" in 2015. James was portrayed by Julius Tennon and Charles S. Dutton in the two films, respectively.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Freddie James, high school football coach portrayed in ‘Friday Night Lights,’ dies
