In the 2004-2005 season, DeLaSalle didn't win a game until their 4th game. Their first win was against Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, CA. They did not play Long Beach Poly that season as depicted in the movie.
De La Salle is a private high school, and tuition is $16,000 per year. Scholarships are available for students who cannot afford it.
During one team practice, Jim Caviezel wears a Detroit Lions hat. At the time of filming, Caviezel's brother-in-law, Scott Linehan, was the Lions' offensive coordinator.
Jim Caviezel attended the 2012 California Open Division football championship when De La Salle played Centennial and filmed footage of Coach Bob Ladouceur to prepare for his role in the film.
Although depicted as a star player in the film, Chris Ryan(played by Alexander Ludwig) was a made up character for this film.