TEXAS LONGHORN HEAD FOOTBALL COACH MACK BROWN TO APPEAR IN NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION STUDIO'S PILOT "FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS"

Universal City, CA (March 1, 2005) -- University of Texas Longhorns head football coach Mack Brown will appear in the television pilot "Friday Night Lights." The television pilot was written and is being directed by Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights" the film, "The Rundown") for NBC.

"Coach Mack Brown embodies the spirit not only of football, but healthy sports competition in America. We're thrilled and honored to have him on our show," said Peter Berg.

Picking up on the themes of the film "Friday Night Lights," but set in the fictitious town of Dillon, TX in 2006, the television show centers on a small community where state championship rings are held to the highest respect. The town's promising high school football team, its star quarterback, and newly appointed head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler, "Grey's Anatomy," "King Kong," "Early Edition") are destined to take them to the state. As they head into the football season, the entire team feels the pressure of the town's pride and honor riding on their shoulders. The pilot also stars Scott Porter (Jason Street), Gaius Charles (Brian "Smash" Williams), Zach Gilford (Matt Saracen), Minka Kelly (Lyla Garrity), Aimee Teegarden (Julie Taylor), Connie Britton (Tami Taylor), Tayler Kitsch (Tim Riggins), and Adrienne Paliki (Tyra Collette).

Brian Grazer ("Fun with Dick and Jane," "Cinderella Man," "A Beautiful Mind"), Peter Berg, Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio, and Film 44 are executive producers of this project.