Coach

"My friends call me Coach. I guess y'all can do the same."

- Coach

"I ain't gonna die waitin' on salvation. As long as we still got guns, we gonna fight."

- Coach, in the teaser trailer.

Coach is one of the four playable survivors in Left 4 Dead 2. He was a high school health teacher and coordinator for the freshman football team before the Infection hit his hometown of Savannah. He is the oldest of the group and takes it upon himself to motivate his fellow Survivors.

Coach's facial features are portrayed by Darnell Rice and he is voiced by Chad Coleman.

Personality
Coach is the eldest, voice of reason, and authority of the Left 4 Dead 2 team, playing a similar role to Bill in Left 4 Dead. He comes across as a warm-hearted father figure with an optimistic attitude that is hard to disagree with. Despite his friendly demeanor, his experience as an actual coach makes him demand things of the other Survivors in a positive way - for example, loudly encouraging them to get back on their feet. All in all, Coach can be considered the father figure of the group, if not leader.

Relationships with other Survivors

 * Ellis Despite their age gap, Coach and Ellis have several shared interests: they both like the Midnight Riders, Jimmy Gibbs, Jr. and Whispering Oaks Amusement Park. Coach is surprisingly patient with Ellis' naïve ways and often defends him from Nick's sarcasm. Both are also native Georgians (same hometown), which could contribute to their friendliness with each other. Despite this, Coach will often remind Ellis to focus whenever the mechanic gets off track.


 * Nick Nick and Coach have the most antagonistic relationship in the game, similar to that of Francis and Bill in Left 4 Dead. What appears to rile Coach the most is that Nick is the opposite of the cooperative "team player" with whom he is most comfortable working with. Nick will say things just to needle Coach and Ellis (e.g. claiming that Jimmy Gibbs, Jr. "looks like an asshole" and making disparaging rejoinders about Coach's happy childhood memories at Whispering Oaks Amusement Park). Despite this, Coach's optimism is often less down-to-earth as Nick's; for example, Nick classifies Coach's remark about the abandoned vehicles in Dark Carnival as "…one theory." Notwithstanding their passive-aggressive mutual dislike, both will seem unhappy when the other dies. On Coach's death, Nick may utter "Goddammit, Coach, what did you leave me with…?", showing that despite his attitude, he regards Coach as having a leadership role in the group. Over the course of the events, they both become less disrespectful toward each other, though Nick still often teases Coach about his weight and fondness for cheeseburgers and chocolate. Coach is the one who steps in when Nick's pessimism crosses the line during the campaigns. When Nick questions whether seeking safety with the army is a good idea, Coach snaps: "Well, you're free to make yourself a new life right here in this room, Nick." to which Nick responds by saying, "Okay... All right, let's go."


 * Rochelle Rochelle and Coach like one another in a way that somewhat mirrors Zoey's and Bill's relationship in Left 4 Dead. They interact in a consistently friendly way and their personalities fully compliment each other. They are thus very unhappy to see the other die. Coach often refers to Rochelle as "little sister", meaning he feels protective of her.


 * Francis Coach and Francis do not have much interaction, but when Coach talks to him or when Francis tosses an item down to Coach in the finale, they will sound friendly. In one interaction between the two, Francis will ask Rochelle if Coach is her dad, to which Coach responds in a somewhat offended manner ("What?"), while Rochelle teases him for it. However, it is very revealing that Coach (presumably on the basis of his sporting and team management talent and experience) senses something unsettling about Francis and does not seem to trust him very much; for example, he voices the possibility that Francis may have stolen Jimmy Gibbs, Jr.'s car while they were gone.


 * Zoey There is little interaction between these two. Coach teases Ellis about meeting her, telling him to stop being so nervous and playfully joking about his interest in her.


 * Louis Coach and Louis seem to understand each other's situation quite well. Since both are optimists and want to keep in good spirits. Louis wishes Coach luck and Coach invites Louis (and the other Survivors) to join up with his group and go to New Orleans together, an offer Louis politely declines.

Quotes
"See: Coach/Quotes"