In 1971, at the old desegregated T. C. Williams High School, Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), also derogatorily known as Coach "Coon," is hired as head coach for the school's football team. He takes the place promised to former head coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton). Yoast at first refuses Boone's offer as the assistant head coach, but then changes his mind after his white players pledge to boycott if he doesn't coach, Ken Smithson(Fintan Ryan)leads the rebellion.

The black and white members of the football team clash in racially-motivated conflicts on a few occasions while at football camp but, after forceful coaxing and team building efforts by Coach Boone and Ken, the team achieves as well as success. Boone makes the camp quite rigorous; when the bus is leaving for the camp all members are instructed to wear a shirt and tie; anyone not doing so will watch the season and not compete. At the camp, anybody who displays any misconduct at practice is instructed to run a mile. One time during camp, Coach Boone wakes up the players at 3:00 am to run through the woods to end up at the Civil War battleground of Gettysburg where he delivers a stirring speech on why that war was fought ("the same fight we are still fighting amongst ourselves").
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