FC Dallas taps former MLS player Eric Quill as new head coach

FC Dallas will formally introduce Eric Quill at a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024

FC Dallas has named Eric Quill as the club’s next head coach. The team announced Wednesday that Quill, a former player and a proven leader with a championship pedigree, returns to the organization where he previously led North Texas SC to historic success.

“I’m extremely excited and truly honored to get the opportunity to lead FC Dallas into the 2025 season and beyond. This club has a rich history, values player development and prioritizes competitive excellence,” Quill said. “I’d like to thank Clark Hunt, Dan Hunt, and André Zanotta for their belief in me. I can’t wait to get started."

Quill served as the head coach of North Texas SC from 2019-21. He guided the team to the inaugural USL League One Championship in 2019 and earned USL League One Coach of the Year honors. His return to the FC Dallas family underscores the club’s commitment to developing top talent and delivering results. His influence was instrumental in shaping the careers of U.S. Men’s National Team standouts and FC Dallas Academy products Ricardo Pepi, Bryan Reynolds, and Tanner Tessmann, each of whom were members of that 2019 North Texas SC team.

“We are so excited to welcome Eric Quill back to the FC Dallas family,” said FC Dallas Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. “Eric is a championship-caliber coach who has experience leading teams to the top of the table. He has a deep knowledge of the game built over three decades as a player and coach at the collegiate, professional, and national team levels, and his keen focus on player development makes him an excellent fit to lead FC Dallas.”

“Eric is an outstanding coach whose track record of developing players and achieving success at every level speaks for itself,” said FC Dallas President Dan Hunt. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back to Frisco and excited for what the future holds under his leadership. I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Peter Luccin, who did a fantastic job as our interim head coach this season. Peter’s passion, dedication, and leadership were critical during a transitional year. We are forever grateful for his contributions to the club.”

Since departing Frisco in 2021, Quill continued to build his coaching legacy. He joins FC Dallas after serving as the head coach of USL Championship side New Mexico United, where he made an immediate impact after taking the reins in June 2023. In the 2024 season, Quill led New Mexico to the USL Championship Western Conference Semifinals and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals, defeating MLS club Real Salt Lake along the way. United finished 18-5-11 under Quill in 2024.

A champion of player development and a seasoned coach across all levels of the sport, Quill’s resume includes a stint as an assistant coach with the Columbus Crew from 2021-23. Quill also led Texans SC to a U.S. Development Academy National Championship in 2017, earning USSDA Coach of the Year honors the same year, and served as an assistant for the U.S. U-15 and U-19 national teams.

“Eric’s coaching philosophy and methodology align perfectly with FC Dallas’ commitment to player development and attacking soccer,” said Chief Soccer Officer André Zanotta. “He has a deep understanding of our ecosystem and the values that drive our club, from the Academy to the first team. Eric’s ability to maximize player potential and his innovative approach to the game make him an ideal leader for this next chapter of FC Dallas.”

Quill’s played collegiately at Clemson University in 1996 before joining MLS in 1997 through the Project-40 (Generation Adidas) program with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, where he tallied eight goals and 19 assists across 79 appearances. He later played for the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City), scoring seven goals and assisting seven over 49 matches, and joined the Dallas Burn in 2004, contributing a goal and three assists in 23 games. Quill retired in 2005 after a season with the New York MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls). A U.S. Youth International, he represented the U-16 and U-20 national teams and was part of the U.S. Men’s National Team player pool from 2001 to 2003.

The 46-year-old will be the ninth full-time head coach in franchise history.