Nominiert für zwei Oscars© Nominiert für einen Golden Globe On an October morning in 1951, Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) drives through the Indiana countryside. In the afternoon he arrives in the small rural town of Hickory and enters the high school. He notices, on a shelf in the hall, basketball trophies won in previous years. As the bell rings to end the school day, he encounters teacher Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey). She realizes that Norman must be the new basketball coach and teacher of history and civics. She directs him to the office of principal Cletus Summers (Sheb Wooley), where the two men recall how they met many years ago at Buffalo State Teachers College. They had lost touch until recently, when Cletus tracked down Norman and asked him to come coach at Hickory. When Norman thanks Cletus for the opportunity, Cletus interrupts and says, "Your slate's clean here." They proceed to the gym, where student Jimmy Chitwood (Maris Valainis) is shooting baskets. Cletus introduces Norman, but Jimmy ignores the new coach and keeps shooting. Das Team der Hoosiers ist eine Highschool-Mannschaft aus Indiana zu Beginn der 50er Jahre. Allen Gegnern rettungslos unterlegen setzt das Team seine letzten Hoffnungen auf Trainer Norman Dale. Doch auch für den Coach sind die Hoosiers die letzte Chance. Nur wenn sie Erfolg haben, kann er hoffen, die dunklen Flecken aus seiner Vergangenheit vergessen zu machen. Und das Unwahrscheinliche geschieht...