1988 Odessa Permian vs Midland Lee Friday Night Lights

For those who have read the book Friday Night Lights or seen the movie, this is the actual game against Midland Lee. It also includes the introduction of the offense for those interested in seeing what the Permian Panthers looked like.
The book is not entirely true about many things, and the movie further distorts things. This game DID force a 3-way tie in district which required a coin toss to determine playoff contenders.
It took me over 6 years of searching to find a complete copy of this game, but someone in Odessa somehow found it.

[@vingable]

I played QB and DB for the Rebel teams in 1988and 1989 and now have a 10-yr-old son who is fascinated by the Lee/Permain rivalry. I was just goofing off to see if any old footage was on youtube to show my son and BAM! did this video bring back some memories! I can't tell you how many people I've met over the yrs on planes, etc. and gotten to talk about the book and movie. What an amazing time in my life! I'll NEVER forget those days! Vince Henderson, 1990 Lee graduate and Rebel forever!

[@martindunham4696]

Do you have any tapes from your years that you'd be able to share/copy?!

[@dfrank2356]

Thanks for posting on this. It's interesting to see from those who were actually there. Sometimes when you get into a movie you forget that these were real people playing a real game. It brings the movie to life, which is really cool.

[@cmbishop21]

I am from Odessa, so you have to understand Mojo football. It was ALWAYS this way, being smaller and underweight. The thing you must understand is that Mojo plays 4 QUARTERS, and they were ALWAYS in better shape than the other team and they NEVER stopped and NEVER gave up.They were superbly coached, and most did not go on to play in college. This was the pinnacle of most guys careers. Thats Permian football in the nutshell.

[@patricksevers8012]

Got 3000 students shouldn't be undersize sounds like excuses

[@davidloter5391]

My alma mater beat them in 95' State Championship Game. Great Game Too. 🚀🚀🚀

[@cmbishop21]

Converse Judson is one of the premier programs in the country.

[@cmbishop21]

Don't have to make excuses when you are great.

[@Kyle899]

@@patricksevers8012 but they won a lot.

[@tigerjingles9734]

I was the water boy on this team and took this loss really tough...................cuz we ran out of water in the 3 rd quarter

[@ericwicker2223]

Tiger Jingles. How did y'all run out of water during the game?

[@stevens1-o7s]

Its all your fault bitch

[@crom5423]

Don't feel to bad, water in west Texas wasn't easy to come by.

[@gregoryowen1468]

Odell Beckham is the father of LSU WR Odell Beckham Jr., if you haven't heard of him. He is a nominee for the Bilitnikoff award.

[@A.C31]

Gregory Owen I think everyone has heard of him, by now!

[@muhammadfarhan581]

And now beckham jr is a diva wr lol. At least hes no antonio brown

[@andrewmclaughlin7506]

in the movie billingsley is about 6 "2" and in this he is only like 5 "7"

[@spinner9057]

And he had a touchdown in this game. In the movie, he had a fumble and ripped the guy down by his facemask.

[@BlueWallFull4331]

And he looks like he weighs 120

[@dfrank2356]

Thanks to everyone posting on this. It really made the movie come to life for me, even if Hollywood did take liberty with the story. Reading all your comments is like taking a history course in Texas high school football, which is very interesting.

[@Jdub14000]

These guys were small....damn.

[@zekegarzaiii2012]

These guys were small but alot heart.

[@bricksampson654]

Dude shit was different back then. Permian is definitely small if the measurements are correct & true. On paper they are small but they don’t look real small watching this. Football was so different back then, speed has taken over. Big shoulder pads, lineman with huge guts, mullets, big hair, hairy muff’s, hairy pee pee’s, keggers, def leppard, etc.

[@vingable]

Technique and heart win every time. Putting a 300 lb d lineman on his ass is simple if you hit his knees properly. Permian almost never missed.

[@ryanjohnson3749]

@@vingablenot if your mugsy bogues trying to guard Yao Ming

[@nardo363636]

This just show that when a team knows how to play football it doesnt matter your size. When I saw everyones stats at the beginning of the video I was astonished. Then when I watched the clips I was stunned at how well they ran plays for a high school team. So smooth and almost everyone was picking up their assingment . Every play run soundly.

[@michffl2004]

This video clip is awesome. Good broadcast production, considering it's just a game done by a local TV station in the late 1980s.

[@goten1214]

Thanks. Like I said, it took me about 6 or 7 years to find, ever since I read the book Friday Night Lights. I asked people all over Odessa but nobody had it. Almost miraculously, someone contacted me letting me know they had it. I'm still looking for the Marshall game from that year (and the Marshall, Midland Lee, and Aldine games from 1989 and Arlington from 1987), but I know all of those exist somewhere. People have them, I've just not been able to trade.

[@MatrixMedal2]

The 1988 Carter Cowboys had I think nine players who were offered Division I scholarships. Very talented team.

[@vingable]

I think the final number was actually 21. A small number may haven’t been d-1 but it’s still preposterous. The Carter team in 88 and the Houston Yates team in 85 were off-the-charts with talent.

[@cameronhenson6096]

Some say one of the best teams ever to play high school football. Anyone that saw Dallas play agree??

[@SharksSJ408]

When I played, I was a 175 pound guard so I know how it feels for that o-line. We ran a wing t though so it didn't really matter about being too big.

[@6anatolyy4]

I'm English. Watched the film. Loved the book. Thanks for posting

[@tylerharrald4703]

It’s weird to see how small the lineman were back then. Even for high school

[@octaviousfair9742]

Damn, they really were a small team. In the movie they said that.

[@nosir1440]

In the book and movie they were undersized. It’s true they really were but man could they play football

[@jamesfields2916]

My local high school in Georgia had an O line in 2018 that averaged 300 lbs. All talented and all signed with D1 schools. Two signed with Ole Miss. One with Florida. One with Ohio State and one with Alabama. The one who signed with Bama was the center who had such a rough game against Michigan.

[@goten1214]

Glad you liked it. There is a quick highlight of the 1989 game on youtube as well, but seeing how disappointed you were after that one (and I'd have been too), you might not want to watch it. Pretty cool to have someone who played in this game comment on the video and like it.

[@crom5423]

It's funny to me when I see ppl making comments about the size of the players in this game about how small or how much bigger this and that. They don't realize these two teams could roll any opponent regardless of the oponent size. These two schools combined have 15 trips to the State championship in the highest classification, 9 championships and 3 National titles in 35 years.

[@henryjw15]

C ROM not to mention all the other schools of the district.

[@Chosinn]

I just can't stop but awe at the fact the Panther team holding hands in the huttle

[@1maripaul]

Still love this team! Florida was like this back in 80s & 90s all about football. Pop Warner, high school, college... seems the thrill has gone after so many things are now more dominant. 😞

[@goten1214]

Basically, in the Wing T, the QB was numbered a low 20 number to help keep the backs organized or something to help with naming/calling plays. And then it became a tradition.

[@ale0845]

increible historia, un saludo desde Texcoco, México

[@KeithStone777]

Lloyd hill is a boss on this video. Why wasn't he in the movie?

[@KeithStone777]

@Jay Sebring says the dude that never played sports let alone the greatest sport ever

[@KeithStone777]

@Jay Sebring I don’t associate myself with Commies

[@crispypigskin8578]

@Jay Sebring I’d like to know, in brief, what was the inaccuracies in movie that actually happened in 88 season. Aloha from Hawaii🤙

[@nosir1440]

@Jay Sebring shut up nerd

[@Lsthnbrd]

Wow Billingsley was tiny

[@spinner9057]

0:22 BILLLINGSLAAAAAY...........Billingsley, party at Taylor's house now Billingsley! We're gonna be there, we're gonna get wasted, party at Taylor's house! BILLINGSLAAAAAY!!!! Meanwhile, Chavez casually goes "isn't that guy like 35?"

[@SheaHarris]

I'd love to see the 1991 Permian at San Angelo Central game if that tape is floating around anywhere. I know it was televised as I've seen a couple highlights with this play by play guy on it. Amazing how small the offensive lineman were!

[@jacobflores9367]

Someone posted it this week

[@SheaHarris]

+Jacob Flores Yep I watched it!

[@goten1214]

No. He had already quit the team because he wasn't being played. Ironically, it was this game, the Midland Lee game, that he quit after. He didn't make the trip to Austin for the Dallas Carter game. He listened on the radio if I remember. I don't know anything about the halftime speech. I know that it was 7-6 in favor of Carter at that time, so it wasn't like he was trying to get them to come back from 21 points or whatever it was.

[@WTX-Sooner]

Exactly right. In fact Permian lost to Carter in the semifinals in Austin Tx at the Longhorns home field in the cold rain 14-9. Jesse Armstead was the ineligible linebacker that played for Miami U then the N Y Giants

[@goten1214]

Any time, I only wish I had more... The Coach Gary Gaines was named the head coach of Odessa Permian recently, so he came back almost 20 years later. I e-mailed him asking if he had film of any of the games laying around there and he said no, but I sent him a DVD of this and the 1989 Aldine state championship game which I also have.

[@goten1214]

I never knew that. Thanks for sharing. I knew Roy went to Permian, but didn't know he and Lloyd Hill were related. I guess it runs in the family, though, to be an outstanding WR.

[@goten1214]

There are no films of the Palo Duro scrimmage. I know a few people have the 87 Permian-Arlington game (which I don't even have myself but I want and have tried to trade forever for). However, the star of that game is Shawn Crow.

[@gojenson]

they used different numbers because they matched the players for the 2003 (i think) season. they had stunt doubles use those numbers for some footage, but they also used real game footage in the movie.

[@jeremyhicks7501]

@Cre8ionz: Booby was 35 and Comer was 45. Lots of numbers incorrect in the movie.

[@btrain72]

3:55 - that ball went almost 50 yards in the air and was right on the money. That's pretty impressive for high school.

[@benmarino1913]

This is AWESOME. THAN YOU. Loaded Backfield Offense and Power Sweeps. That long TD pass to Hill was pretty. Love High School Ball!

[@Missgg003]

this is inspirational. they were so good, but they were so small. this inspires me cuz im an undersized lineman

[@JZdude518]

why didnt it show a pic of Chavez?

[@carlosjaramillojr.6302]

JZdude518 racists I guess

[@DanielSanchez-rv6it]

Cuz Donald trump doesn’t like Mexicans hahaha

[@AJxxxxxxxx]

They didn’t show defense

[@JZdude518]

NOXISUM chavez was a tight end irl

[@Kaitlin24247]

@@DanielSanchez-rv6it youre a idiot yes he does dumbass

[@juniorthird7952]

They may be smaller than the kids now days but they look a hell of alot tougher than the kids now days.

[@Agslions]

Permian's off-season program back then wouldn't fly today. Teens today would pass out 15 minutes into it.

[@goten1214]

Well, I have no affiliation with the movie, Hollywood, etc. I can only guess that they didn't include McDougal because he was a lineman and nobody likes watching linemen sadly. I always watch the lines because that's where I played, but average Joe Football fans wanna see flashy high-flying catches and runs and whatnot, not intense blocking. And as far as Billingsley goes, again, I think it was just to make that storyline with his dad have some kind of facilitator.

[@goten1214]

@XxGREEN11xX Permian didn't play in State. They played Dallas Carter in the semifinals and lost. Carter won the next week, and won state.

[@fredwoods9403]

Then they went to jail it's a movie about them on Netflix that Carter team

[@goten1214]

Stormy was Stoney's little brother. Stoney didn't start over Winchell because he was younger and Winchell got the job done. He always threw some great blocks which is the QBs main job in the Wing T, not passing.

[@goten1214]

Haha, I had forgotten that. It was probably done for comedic factor. Boobie got hurt in the scrimmage, not in the Marshall game (which Marshall actually won 13-12, and it was played in East Texas). And Chris Comer was depicted as being hopeless, but he was really a good player. He won the national championship the next year.

[@chamblkh1]

Why does the movie have Chaves at Safety and Comer #42? That just movie mistakes? Great video btw.

[@A.C31]

keith chamblin They don't care about correct numbers in movies, for some reason. Probably because 99.9% of viewers have no idea what numbers these guys really wore.

[@goten1214]

@TheTexasboi27 Believe it or not, in real life, Marshall DID beat Permian. The game was played in Marshall on a Saturday afternoon, not a Friday in Odessa. Permian flew to East Texas to play the game. Marshall won 13-12. They had a RB named Odell Beckham who was REALLY good. They ended up losing to Carter 22-18 in the playoffs. Anyway. I went to Longview. That's how I know this haha. I know all about East Texas football and the history.

[@goten1214]

@madvillain6184 He didn't have offers from any of those schools; he had heard interest from them. He didn't receive any full rides at all. His grades held him back (as they did Comer). Boobie, even after recovering from injury, went to Ranger and still was terrible (not to mention unable to maintain grades and had to drop out).

[@crom4023]

I played in this matchup in 1993 and 1994.

[@goten1214]

Yeah, it was. Permian rarely threw, but when Winchell was on, they were unstoppable with Lloyd Hill. Mike Winchell once said, "One day I throw like Roger Staubach, one day I throw like Roger Rabbit." This was definitely a time he threw like Stuabach, although later in the game he threw like Roger Rabbit (not shown in these highlights).

[@JetsetComedian]

always wondered why Lloyd Hill was never mentioned in the film. He was the best player on the team and the only one to play in the NFL (besides Case, who was only 3rd stringer at the time in 1988.)

[@carlosjaramillojr.6302]

Johnny Utah probably because the movie was mostly about boobie, so by putting Hill it would take off some of boobies credit I guess

[@CS-np2oo]

Roy Wliams of the Cowboys, Bears and Lions played at Permian. So did Britt Hager and Dayrl Hunt play in the NFL as well.

[@goten1214]

@sedro32 If there was one main character, it was McDougall, although he followed about 6... And this game was actually a district ballgame. The Carter game (also on youtube, as you've commented on), was the semis.

[@goten1214]

Manny's right. He had a bad game while Winchell couldn't miss. During the season, the book doesn't mention him having many problems. He was just a wild one who straightened up once he went to college and hurt his knee, ending his football career.

[@lukkyluciano]

Winchell does look like Lucas Black sort of.

[@Kolegate]

I agree. Lucas and the real Winchell could be brothers.

[@goten1214]

Oh, and this is the Midland Lee game, not the semifinal game against Dallas Carter which is the last game in the movie.

[@Visoball5550]

wow, they really were small haha. i know players were smaller back then but not that small. and i also know that they were a small team, but under 200 pound linemen? damn and thanks for posting this video!

[@PieandBiscuits]

Why did they get the numbers wrong? With the amount of footage and information they obviously had, there is no reason for them to be wrong, they must have chosen to be a certain number... which still makes no sense

[@johnierardi3850]

PieandBiscuits The Movie gets a handful of things wrong. In the Movie Boobie is #45 and plays the tailback/running back position whatever you want to call it when he was actually a Fullback who wore #35. Don was the Tailback in real life but they make it seem like he had a hard time carrying the ball in the movie which was why he was at Fullback as a lead Blocker for Boobie. Chavez was #4 as the Strong Safety in the movie when he was really the #85 as a Tight End. Ivory was #90 as a defensive end in the movie when he actually wore 62 and played the Middle Linebacker position. Another thing I’ve noticed in the many times I’ve watched the movie is that they almost make it seem like it is Mikes first time being the starting QB at the Varsity level when he clearly started as a Junior in real life. In my opinion they make it seem like Mike didn’t know all the routes and plays like when he is going over some of the stuff with his mother at the beginning and then when Coach Gaines yells at Mike in the first few days of practice for throwing the wrong route. Making it seem like he was a Backup Quarterback as a Junior or a JV Quarterback as a Junior. It’s just interesting to me how many differences there are between the movie and the actual season in 1988. There is a whole Wikipedia page on the differences between the book/movie and the real life thing.

[@goten1214]

Yes, 22-21. This was the district game against Midland Lee, so they had to flip coins to see who would go to the playoffs. Midland Lee and Permian won the coin toss.

[@goten1214]

I got the entire game from a man in Odessa. I have highlights of the Carter game which was the SEMIFINALS. Carter won the semifinal game and then went to state and beat Converse Judson. I have the entire Carter vs Judson game which is the finals.

[@oldskoolbrawler]

Post it! I’d love to see it

[@Agslions]

@DARIANxMASSACRE - He's standing on the sideline. Did not play this game, despite the movie's portrayal of him doing so. He "quit" after this game.

[@Agslions]

@Jose083192 - Boobie was changed to #45 for the movie, as the director decided to use footage from the 2003 Permian team instead of trying to film each and every football scene (which would've been very costly). On the 2003 team, the fullback wore #45. In reality, Boobie wore #35, Comer did indeed wear #45.

[@adambulk14]

Who would have thought 25 years later Billingsley would be more successful than Brian Chavez?

[@shawnsafarik7702]

How do you figure that....Chavez has a Harvard degree and has a law degree and an attorney...Billingsley is a guidance counselor

[@BobbyTheRadier]

I kinda wish I could go to this school jut because of the history

[@goYankees19]

THIS...is one hell of a video. awesome.

[@ZuSpect99]

always tought Billingsley was this big powerback as he was in the movie ... but he was the same seize at me LOL :)

[@SuperfanDK]

lloyd hill was completely ignored in the movie, and he was a pretty good reciever according to the book.

[@jefferybray3334]

ha memories for me I miss odessa

[@goten1214]

Hey, I recently came across a copy of that game. I uploaded highlights which you can see. I know it was a tough loss, but it has most of your really good passes including the TD pass that you threw. Just thought you might like to see it!

[@41D5Buckets]

@PowhatanNDNZ12 The jerseys were huge back then.

[@darrensepulveda4373]

Damn I was 5'10 240 and not even considered big in today's game

[@goten1214]

Glad you liked them!

[@ESchissler]

Great video -- please keep 'em coming!

[@mcoltrane5]

I wanna know two things relating to the movie: 1) why Jerrod McDougal wasn't in the movie. Just because he was a lineman doesn't mean he doesn't have a story. Actually, it's quite fascinating that a five-six, 180 lbs. lineman could dominate the way he did. 2) Why do they portray Billingsley to have such a fumble problem? He only had one really bad game in real life, and that was the first game of the year. That boy could run.

[@goten1214]

@hottiecne37 I know! That disappointed me! I wanted to see all of the guys that were focused on in the book, but sadly he was mentioned but not pictured. He was a key player, too, and very smart.

[@gee9417]

The book and movie is so different

[@tarheelbeast23]

Jerrod McDougal never got the respect he deserved. if you read the book you know what im talking about

[@Agslions]

@MultiKeepitreal - In real life, Boobie was 35 and Comer was 45. In the movie, Peter Berg mixed in real footage of the 2003 team in order not to have to film each and every football scene... on the '03 team, #45 was the starting tailback, therefore Berg changed Boobie's number to 45 for the flick.

[@ew5821]

Comer was 42 in the movie.

[@goten1214]

Nah, I know that Jerry Hix was #20 in 1980, so it goes way back. And it's not stupid; it's a neat little tradition.

[@irishgoomba]

This is great!!!! thanks for putting uo

[@The50YardLine]

Chavez did play safety as well as TE. They got most of the jersey numbers wrong .

[@goten1214]

It was Converse Judson and technically Permian won the game 1-0 vs Carter.

[@taylamadegriffin2987]

J-Rock you know!!!

[@tylonwilliams1299]

Look at all them fans

[@goten1214]

@trackstarallday He did in a preseason scrimmage, not during the season.

[@westywolves1155]

wow these guys really were small. in the movie it said they were small but wow. i live in colorado and play on basically the worst team in 5A and i still think the smallest lineman on our team is pushing 215, and the average is i guess around 245. i guess it was different times back then and they probably didn't focus on the weight room as much as just playing some football.

[@Killatwos29]

I played running back for the saints in 82 and 83 went to noel elementary and I would have went to Permian to play ball I was being recruited in 4th and 5th grades parents got divorced moved to Clovis CA and continued to ball out but what could've been damn

[@Agslions]

@ScreamoMarius - He's #62 in this video. Playing middle linebacker.

[@goten1214]

On the bench after his injury. He quit the team after this game.

[@carlmay9532]

The entire O-line diving and rolling at the D-lines feet. They weren’t very big so I guess do what you can with what you got.

[@kispispaz]

Their lineman are tiny, yet very talented.

[@A.C31]

kispispaz Not that small by 80's standards, but yes, smaller than some schools. Permian and Lee both won state titles (many in Permian's case) by playing sound, fundamental football with few players who went on to college prominence and very few to make the NFL.

[@goten1214]

Comer was actually the power back. Boobie before him was. Billingsley was the runningback while Comer was the fullback.

[@saVageLiFE72]

@goten1214 you just need to put in the description "Boobie Miles was #35 and Comer was #45" so its clear for everyone whos asking

[@oldskoolbrawler]

Or they could read the comments

[@PieandBiscuits]

Seriously, Odell Beckham? Guy of the same name plays for LSU

[@SuckaFree-zq9rh]

His Dad

[@goten1214]

It wasn't the championship. It was the semi-finals. I have highlights which includes all of the scoring plays. I'm in touch with someone about getting a full copy. If I do, I'll provide extensive highlights on youtube.

[@hinojosa8790]

@goten1214 you do! dude please put it up!

[@D3zii1]

Chris Comar was pretty good. What ever happen to him>? were did he end up going to college?

[@joshuabryant6586]

Really Chris Comer was a fast strong and shirtty back and with Billinglee it was a perfect 1-2 punch

[@darkenrahl123]

Haha, they still called wide outs, split ends. It's crazy how much just the terminology changes, much less the actual formations and techniques.

[@YankeeYapping]

Isn't that guy like 35? ;)

[@AJxxxxxxxx]

Dam this is crazy, from the movie

[@hamiltonmasseyii4747]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpzUh5Kkhrt5sNk

[@travis11111111]

One thing i never got was why did they switch the number on Boobie and Comer, Boobie was originally #35 but in the movie he is #45, Comer was originally #45, but the movie he is either #42 or #43, never really got that

[@andyB136]

OMG! Great video! How did you get this?

[@bravesat2]

I love the fact that the center/guard is 6'2" 203. I play guard and im 6'5" 310 haha. This is pretty cool though

[@goten1214]

Not from the 1988 season, and only a few from the 1987 season before he got all the hype.

[@goten1214]

On the sidelines hurt. Comer got the start.

[@goten1214]

No, I don't. I've seen highlights. I've also looked forever for it but have had no luck. I'd trade three of my games for it or the Marshall game that year.

[@goten1214]

Permian lost. The game didn't end on a QB sneak where Winchell is short. That happened during the Marshall game on a 2 pt attempt. The game ended kinda anticlimactically. Neither team could do much else, and the game ends on a Midland Lee punt.

[@meatstick3046]

My athletic coach and math teacher played for lee this game