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AFM Magazine


Gary Gaines Trades Lights for Sunny Saturday Afternoons

Q&A with Abilene Christian University head coach Gary Gaines
by: Aaron S. Lee
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GARY GAINES WILL BE THE FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU that nothing comes easy – especially in coaching. In fact, the Abilene Christian University head football coach wouldn’t have it any other way.

Gaines, who led teams to nine playoff appearances in 17 years as a high school coach, gained national attention as the head coach of Odessa Permian after being featured in H.G. Bissenger’s best-selling book Friday Night Lights. Gaines went on to lead Odessa Permian to the 1989 Class 5A state championship in Texas and the mythical national championship. However, Bissenger’s book loomed larger than the accomplishments of the team and the coach written about. Bissenger painted a dark, bleak portrait of high school football in Texas, but Gaines showed tremendous character and resolve in the midst of negative press surrounding the players, coaches and fans of West Texas.

Gaines, a 1971 graduate of Angelo State, moved on to Texas Tech following his championship run at Odessa Permian. As a linebackers coach with the Red Raiders, Gaines recruited and coached All-America linebacker Zach Thomas, who is now an All-Pro with the Miami Dolphins.

Now, Gaines faces his toughest task to date – rebuilding the program at ACU located in Abilene, Texas. ACU has never played in a NCAA postseason game and has not been to the playoffs since winning the NAIA Division I national title in 1977. Although ACU only won four games under Gaines during the first two seasons, the Wildcats are closer than ever to turning it around.

American Football Monthly recently caught up with Coach Gaines to discuss recruiting, coaching and what has taken place in the decade since Friday Night Lights.

Q&A

AFM: What is Texas football?


Gaines: Well, it’s recreation and a source of entertainment. There is not a whole lot to do in the fall of the year out here in Abilene or even further out west. It is just a way of life. I can’t describe it much better than that, it is just something that people do on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons.

AFM: Some Texas high schools have 75-yard indoor practice facilities and 50,000 square foot weight rooms. Are priorities skewed in the Texas educational system?

Gaines: I think each town is different. If that is what the public wants and the public is paying the taxes on these projects then I guess it is up to them to decide. I don’t think it is up to me to say that it is out of sync or skewed in any way.

AFM: How has Friday Night Lights changed your life?


Gaines: I don’t know. I never read the book to be honest with you. My wife did. I’ve had so many people ask me about it. The slant [Bissenger] chose to take was disappointing. He chose to do it another way and that was not what we had talked about in the beginning. There were so many things that were in there that I didn’t understand the direction he was going.

AFM: Was the rivalry with Odessa Permian and Midland Lee as intense as the book portrayed?


Gaines: Oh yes. I am sure there is a lot of truth in the book. But the racial thing was so silly. I am sure it was something to sell some copies.

AFM: What would you like the public to know about the book?

Gaines: I just feel like he missed a great chance to focus on a very proud program filled with kids that had sacrificed to keep that thing going and preserve the tradition that they had enjoyed for so long. I just don’t know that he touched on all that.

AFM: How would you describe the current status of rebuilding the football program at Abilene Christian University?

Gaines: Well, I think we are making progress. I think anytime that you are going into a situation that you are asked to rebuild, I think your patience is tested because you want things to happen a little quicker sometimes than they really do. But I think that we are doing it the right way and I think that we are slowly but surely squeezing that gap between us and our competitors. But these people have been very supportive of us and they appreciate what we are trying to do and the way we are trying to do it. We are trying hard to give them a product that they can be proud of and put a winner out on the field.

AFM: Are there any programs that you have looked at as an example of what you are trying to accomplish at ACU?

Gaines: I have a lot of respect for what that staff at Iowa State has done. You know they have endured four or five really lousy years, but they have worked hard and kept plugging and kept getting better and better players to close the gap and now they are a nationally ranked team and doing great – their quarterback (Seneca Wallace) doesn’t hurt them any either.

AFM: Are there any teams at the Division II level that come to mind when trying to build a successful program at ACU?

Gaines: Well, I think the teams in our conference are perfect examples. Tarleton, with coach Todd Whitten, has had a quick turnaround. I think they have done a great job and although I don’t think that we have completely patterned what they have done, but I do think that we have modeled it somewhat. They have kind of gone the junior college route. But I think the core of our recruits – year in and year out – will be high school recruits. That may not be as quick a fix since most will redshirt and not be ready to play – with a few exceptions of course – but it is better for the longevity of the program.

AFM: Do you believe that coaches are given enough time to turn things around?


Gaines: I think it takes a lot longer to get things turned around than most programs allow. There are just a lot of factors that goes into getting a program turned around. Ultimately, the talent level must improve and it takes time to make a winning team. If you are fortunate enough to have some continuity with your staff you have a better chance of getting the job done.

AFM: Are there any keys to maintaining that continuity on a staff?

Gaines: Well there are programs, such as Angelo State and UC-Davis that have proven that staff continuity works for the overall success of a program. Those are examples of what you can accomplish if you can stick together. The better we do with our young coaches and our team, the better job offers will come their way. But if coaches can avoid the lateral moves and stick with a program long enough, many positive things can come out of it.

AFM: How is recruiting different at the NCAA Division II level?

Gaines: The number of scholarships (36) is greatly reduced from the Division I level. We have to give some partials and piece some things together to make some things work and obviously get some good walk-ons, too. You know, walk-ons are important wherever you are. But I think what we are all looking for is basically the same. We want kids that have athletic ability, guys that can run. We also want kids that have a chance to be successful academically.

AFM: Division II still gets a lot of quality athletes, but for schools like ACU that places a large emphasis on character, how hard is it to find not only quality football players but also quality individuals?

Gaines: I don’t think it is difficult at all. I don’t think that there is any coach that will not tell you that character is an important ingredient in the makeup of a good football player or a good football team. It is certainly important to us. But we are all looking for that person with strong ethics on and off the field. Plus, you don’t want a divisive factor on the team or someone that will not be able to do college level work. Otherwise, it will be a 24-hour a day job to keep those kids out of trouble.

AFM: Is there as much pressure at the Division II level to win?

Gaines: I don’t know. It might vary from place to place, but I think that every school that funds a football program they want you to put a good product on the field and they want you to win. So, yes there is pressure to win wherever you are. The bigger the school the more pressure there will be because there is more money involved and more boosters involved.

AFM: Do you put pressure on yourself?

Gaines: Yeah, I think every coach does. Nobody likes losing and everybody wants to feel like they can get their program to the level that they desire.

AFM: Do coaches put too much pressure on themselves?


Gaines: Probably, but to say that they shouldn’t is a lot easier said than done.

AFM: What kind of advice do you give or can you give to your fellow coaches?


Gaines: That is a good question and there is a lot of advice that you can give. But I believe – and I have not always followed this myself – that the relationships that you have with your players and your coaches is what really endures. And as we go about our daily business of building a team and winning football games, I don’t think that we should get so wrapped up that we forget about the people that make up the game.

AFM: How do you keep a team motivated?


Gaines: You just got to keep plugging. You have to work for everything that you get. But self-motivation is the best way, such as placing accountability on each individual player.

AFM: Who are some of your role models in coaching?


Gaines: I think that all the coaches that I’ve played for are partially responsible for me being in coaching. They were all heroes of mine. My uncle (Dick Gaines) was one of those that inspired me. But perhaps the biggest role model in my life other than my parents was Buddy Horn. Buddy was an assistant coach while I was a player at Angelo State. He is also a perfect example of how important your coaching staff is providing a solid working relationship with your team.






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