The pilot of New Girl aired almost 10 years ago on September 20, 2011. The show ran on television until 2018, and fans were devastated when the series came to an end after season 7. Even 3 years after its last episode, it is still a Netflix favorite. While Zooey Deschanel is the star of the show with her adorable looks and quirky personality, what made the show special was the bond between characters. Jess, Nick (Jake Johnson), Cece (Hannah Simone), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Winston (Lamorne Morris), and Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) live together on and off in a small loft apartment. Over the course of many years, the friends experience life in Los Angeles together as young adults.
Coach is known as a confident, athletic man who worked as a personal trainer and part time ladies man. He can be seen wearing a whistle and tracksuit, often times unnecessarily. However, as New Girl fans would know, Coach was not present throughout the entire show, and heres why:
7 Who is Coach?
As previously stated, Coach is played by Damon Wayans Jr., an actor from Vermont. According to IMBD, he "pursued his early passion for fine arts and animation in High School before admittance to the Otis School for Art and Design." In the early 2000s, Damon followed in his fathers comedic foot steps becoming a writer for sketch comedies. His first major film was in 2009, Dance Flicks, before beginning Happy Endings and New Girl in 2011 and Let's Be Cops in 2014.
6 After The Pilot
Coach is featured in the pilot episode in which Jess is interviewing to be a new roommate in the loft with Nick, Schmidt and Coach. However, come episode 2, Coach is gone and new roommate Winston takes over his room after returning from playing basketball abroad. According to Distractify, the reason for his abrupt departure is that he was “already under contract with the show Happy Endings.” He took the part of Coach believing Happy Endings wouldn’t be renewed for another season, however when it was he had to return to his previous role of Brad Williams.
5 Season 3
Coach was mentioned throughout various episodes of the show, and it is assumed he was living with his girlfriend Malia during that time. This was to allow him to return to the show when his schedule allowed. The season 3 premiere was titled “Coach” as he moved back into the loft after Schmidt moved across the hall. He then was a prominent member of the cast getting a job at Jess’s school teaching PE and briefly dating CeCe. However, this stint doesn’t last long as he ends up moving to New York by the end of season 4 with girlfriend May.
4 New York
Fans were confused to say the least when Coach leaves the show a second time after only returning for a season and a half. Damon nor the producers of New Girl offered a reason for his withdrawal, however it doesn't seem to be for a negative reason. In a statement to Variety, he said “I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to come back to ‘New Girl’ in season three to reprise the role of Coach. Working with this incredibly talented and funny cast and crew has been one of the best experiences of my career.”
3 Last Appearances
Coach appeared a few last times before the series finale in 2018 and was mentioned here and there by characters. According to Screenrant, Coach coming and going “reflected the changes in the lives of young adults, which is something the producers wanted to show in the series.” He returned to the show for two episodes in season 5 for Schmidt and Cece’s wedding and again in season 7 for Furgeson the cat’s funeral.
2 Best Coach Moments
A lot of fans consider Coach underrated as he has some hilarious scenes throughout the show. First, implementing the douchebag jar with Schmidt in the pilot where each of them must place a dollar when something douchey is said (pretty often). In season 3 when Coach tries to get Nick in shape and decides Britney Spear's 'Work B***h' is the best song for the job is classic. Also in season 3, Coach decides to help chaperone a school dance, a job he takes much too seriously, making himself head of chaperones and assigning out roles. Lastly, his competitive nature is displayed in his baking duel with Winston in efforts to make a surprise birthday cake for Jess.
1 Final Thoughts
Although Coach wasn’t present for every episode, he was a very important part of New Girl. His character demonstrates that through different seasons of life friendships can last and be there for the most important moments. While he was gone, he was never forgotten, and the show wouldn't have been the same without him.