Real story behind 'Friday Night Lights'

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A new film tells the "real story" behind the popular movie Friday Night Lights.

Carter High follows the rise and fall of players on the 1988 powerhouse football team in Dallas. The film centers around the power of choices.

Former Dallas Cowboys player Greg Ellis is the executive producer.

"When people come out, I want them to be aware of the decisions they make from this day forward," Ellis said.

Derric Evans was a part of that 1988 team. He famously signed a letter of intent to play college football while wearing gold chains and lounging in a hot tub.

"I signed with Tennessee," Evans said, "And all these colleges are after me."

Evans never made it to college. He and other players were found guilty of a series of robberies after the team won the championship game. He served six years in jail as a result.

"I didn't have to do that. I mean everything I got from committing a robbery, I could have went and asked my mom for that," Evans said, "But it was that invincible feeling I had where I felt like everything I did, I would either get out of or somebody would get me out of it."

The screenwriter and director of the film, Arthur Muhammad, was also a member of the Carter High team, but he did not make the same mistakes.

"Even though the story shows one side of making bad choices, you also have a group of guys on the team that made the right choice," Muhammad said, "So you get to see destiny is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice."

Evans hopes children who see the film will take that message with them. Carter High is now playing at several theaters in the Houston area.