FC Dallas has announced Eric Quill as the club’s 9th head coach. Quill previously coached North Texas Soccer Club, winning the inaugural USL League One title in 2019 with North Texas SC.
“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. During his time at the club, Quill helped progress Ricardo Pepi, Bryan Reynolds, and Tanner Tessmann, to name a few.
“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.”
Quill 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.
Quill served as an assistant coach for the Columbus Crew from 2022-23. Quill also led Houston Texans SC to a U.S. Development Academy National Championship in 2017, earning USSDA Coach of the Year honors the same year. He also worked as an assistant for the US U15 and U19 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 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 played in MLS for the Kansas City Wizards, 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 US Youth International, he represented the U16 and U20 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.
FC Dallas Head Coaching History
- Dave Dir: 1996-2000
- Mike Jeffries: January 23, 2001 – September 15, 2003
- Colin Clarke: September 15, 2003 – November 7, 2006
- Steve Morrow: November 7, 2006 – May 20, 2008
- Marco Ferruzzi: Interim head coach May 20 – June 16, 2008
- Schellas Hyndman: June 16, 2008 – October 18, 2013
- Oscar Pareja: January 10, 2014 – November 19, 2018
- Luchi Gonzalez: December 16, 2018 – September 19, 2021
- Marco Ferruzzi: Interim head coach September 19 – December 2, 2021
- Nico Estévez: December 2, 2021 – June 9, 2024
- Peter Luccin: Interim head coach June 9 – November 20, 2024
- Eric Quill: named head coach on November 20, 2024
42-minute Eric Quill Interview
I did a special podcast interview with Quill when he was hired as North Texas SC coach. The bulk of the interview is about him.
This is from 2019 and recorded on my phone in a conference room at FC Dallas. It doesn’t match the current quality of our podcasts. So apologies for the poor’ish sound quality.
What does this mean for Peter Luccin? Is he still with the club?
If not, he would be a good hire in New Mexico haha.
It appears he left. They took him off the coach page when the added Quill.
I predict 5th-6th in the West next season. It’s not a sexy hiring but I feel like the club is back on track.
I love this hire.
Having followed the team and this site for years, Quill’s hiring (from the moment I saw that he had taken the New Mexico job) seemed inevitable.. which makes me wonder if that is a conversation that the Hunts have with Luccin or Michel or John Gall – this is the path to take if you want to be considered for our next vacancy. Clearly jumping from NTSC to FCD was too much for Luchi (and maybe Luccin). So now we watch Luccin or Feruzzi and wait for them to be hired back.
excellent thought.
They have talked about developing coaches as much as players.