Program, The (film) Darnell Jefferson has just been inducted into the football program at Eastern State University. With his great skills on the field, and a lovely girl, Autumn Haley, to show him around the college, Darnell intends to enjoy himself. But his severe academic problems, and a heated rivalry with Ray Griffen for the starting tailback position and for Autumn’s affection, makes him realize that things will not be so easy. Darnell and his teammates discover the intense pressures, both on and off the field, of being on the football team. Released on September 24, 1993. Directed by David S. Ward. A Touchstone film. 112 min. (Edited from a 115-min. version a month after its release after several people had imitated a dangerous stunt of lying down in the middle of a busy highway that was depicted in the film.) Stars James Caan (Coach Winters), Halle Berry (Autumn), Omar Epps (Darnell Jefferson), Craig Sheffer (Joe Kane), Kristy Swanson (Camille). Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, doubled for the fictional Eastern State University, and locations were also used at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. The crew was allowed exactly 14 minutes to film during halftime at an actual South Carolina/Tennessee game in the University of South Carolina’s 78,000-seat William Brice Stadium, and nine plays had to be worked out with precision to fit within the allotted time. Released on video in 1994.
