FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS AND RELIGION
Coach Eric Taylor: (played by Kyle Chandler) moves to Dillion, Texas with his wife, Tami and daughter Julie to take the position of highschool football coach of the Dillion Panthers. Coach Taylor leads his team to state, then decides to leave Dillion and fulfill a life long dream of his by becoming a quarterback coach at TMU while leaving his family behind in Dillion. He quickly realizes that he does not want to be away from his family and moves back to Dillion and obtains his old job as coach. After he does not bring his team to state he loses his job as a Panther\s coach and is asked to head the team at East Dillion. Coach builds a team from nothing and leads his team to win the state championship. He faces various struggles like juggling family life and football. He also acts like a father figure to various team members .
"Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose!"
Tami Taylor: (played by Connie Britton) is the coach Eric's wife and mother to Julie and later Gracie-Bell. Tami Taylor is used to following her husband and his careers goals. When arriving in Dillion she gets a job as guidance counselor at the Dillion High School. Tami eventually becomes principal at Dillion High but after she lends advice to a student she resigns. Tami decides to go to where she is more needed which is to be a guidance counselor at East Dillion High. At the end of ths series Tami leaves Dillion with her husband to follow career aspirations. She is very passoniate and caring for the students that she advises, especially Tyra Colette.
"Well… you’re gonna win… or you’re gonna lose. Either way the sun’s still gonna come up tomorrow morning."
Julie Taylor: (played by Aimee Teegarden) is the daughter of Eric and Tami Taylor. Julie's move to Dillion, Texas was one of her many moves.At first Julie was not happy about the move to a town obessed with football. However, once she meets her first boyfriend, Matt, she ends up loving the town and in one episode she states that it is one of the few places that they have moved where she actually felt at home. You see Julie grow up with lots of ups and downs along the way. Julie also goes through lots of firsts, like first boyfriend, first time having sex, first breakup and many more. At the end of the series you see her move to Chicago with Matt.
"I’ve been moving around my entire life, and for the first time…it just felt like I was at home. And..and..I know going to Austin and being some college football coach is your dream. But I have dreams too…and they’re coming true right here."
Matt Saracen (played by Zach Gilford) starts as quarterback for the Dillion Panthers after Jason becomes paralyzed in the first game. Matt lives with his grandmother who has dementia because his mother left and his father is off at war. Matt is responsible for taking care of his grandma (this includes later becoming emancipated). Matt is in an on again off again relationship with the Coach's daughter, Julie. After Matt's dad dies, he leaves Dillion and heads to Chicago to pursue a carrer in art. Matt is an underdog who learns throughout the seasons to believe in himself and that people around him love him.
"You don’t need to worry about me. In a fight, I just kinda stand in the back and just yell stuff."
Tim Riggins: (played by Taylor Kitsch) is the fullback/running back of the Dillion Panthers. Tim lives in a house with his older brother since his parents left them. Tim spends most of his time thinking about drinking, girls and football. Tim has an on again off again relationship with Lyla Garrity. Tim is offered a football scholarship and he accepts it however he only lasts a couple days of classes before he quits and returns home. Even though Tim makes lots of mistakes throughout the show he is always there for his family and friends. Two examples of this is when Jason wants to get non-legal surgery and another is when he goes to jail to protect his brother and let his nephew have the father he never had. Overall Tim is very important character.
"Texas Forever"
Brian "Smash" Williams (played by Gaius Charles) is the running back for the Dillion Panthers. He was raised by a very religious mother (his dad died when he was younger). For Brain, football is everything. It is his way of paying his mother back for all that she has done for him and his sisters. "Smash" as he is commonly called ends up going to a university on a football scholarship. Along the way however there was lots of bumps, for example performance enchancing drugs, injuries and public fights. You watch Smash develop as a player and a person due to his family, the coach and the town of Dillion.
"Yeah, I like myself, and I love football. I love it. I love the game. I love the crowds. I love the attention. I love being a star. I can’t help it. It’s a beautiful thing it’s just who I am, it’s how God made me. "
Lyla Garrity (played by Minka Kelly) is daughter of Buddy Garrity. At the beginning of the show she is a cheerleader for the Dillion Panthers and is dating Jason Street. After Jason's accident the stress of his injury leads her into the hands of Tim Riggins. This causes her to have an affair with Riggins and leads to her eventual break up with Jason. After a while Jason forgives her and they get back together. Seasons 2 opens up with Lyla being baptized and re-finding her faith. Season 3 starts her senior year of high school, and she is back to dating Tim Riggins. She eventually graduates and heads to Vanderbelt University.
Buddy Garrity (played by Brad Leland) is a Dillion Panther through and through. Buddy is father of Lyla, Buddy Jr. and Tabby. Buddy owns a car dealership and later owns a local bar. To Buddy football is everything. This is shown when he cheats on his wife and he is kicked out of the house and he is still worried about the game on friday night. Buddy experiences a struggle when Coach Taylor goes to the East Dillion lions, Buddy believes that he is a Panther. He quickly learns that it is the heart of the Panthers that he cares for, so eventually he becomes a Lion. Buddy overall is a good father, however he does have a lot of ups and downs along the way. Buddy can be quite annoying throughout the series but you learn to accept him.
"You can't fake boosterism Eric, it comes from the heart.
That's the beauty of it."
Landry Clarke: (played by Jesse Plemons) is the nerdy, music loving friend of Matt Sacarcen. Landry is introduced in the first season as the non-football playing friend of Matt. Throughout the series his character becomes a lot more developed. Landry creates his own Christian metal band. When Landry meets Tyra he immediately falls in love. This love for Tyra leads him to kill the man who tried to rape Tyra. After Tyra leaves Landry becomes the kicked of the East Dillion Lion and ends up getting the game winning goal against the Dillion Panthers. Landry leaves Dillion to have the bright future that awaited him.
"Maybe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
Tyra Collette: (played by Adrianne Palicki) is the rebellious teenage girl. Tyra lives with her mother and stripper sister. Her life has not been easy and she has never believed in herself. One thing she always wanted to do is get out of Dillion. When Tyra becomes friends with Julie, Tami decides to take her on as her next personal project. She tells Tyra that she doesn't need to rely on her looks and that she can make it into a college. Along the way Tyra goes through a lot of obstacles. One of which is a very intense storyline of a rape and then a murder by her soon to be boyfriend Landry. Tyra fights to make it into a college. and in the end she gets accepted into a college and moves away from Dillion.
"Two years ago, I was afraid of wanting anything. I figured wanting would lead to trying and trying would lead to failure. But now I find I can't stop wanting."
Jess Merriweather: (played by Jurnee Smollett) is introduced in season 4. She is the daughter of a former football star. She lost her mother and steps in as a mother figure to her three younger brothers. She is part of the spirt squad. Jess loves football and knows a lot about the game. She helps both Landry and Vince with their game plays. She eventually asks Coach if she can shadow him and he accepts. Jess eventually wants to become a football coach. Jess provides emotional support for Vince, her boyfriend, at many times throughout the series. Jess is a very determined and loving character.
"My name is Jess Merriweather. M-E-R-R-I-W-E-A-T-H-E-R. Don’t forget that when you make out the check."
Jason Street: (played by Scott Porter) is quarterback of the Dillion Panthers until an extremely bad tackle leaves him paralyzed from the waist down. Jason had plans on becoming a pro-football player till his accident. Throughout season one you watch Jason struggle with the idea that he will never be able to walk again. You watch Jason grow into a man who realizes life is short and you need to live your life to the fullest. After having a one night stand with a waitress, Jason becomes a father, something he was told would never be possible. After miracle baby, Noah, was born Jason gets his life together and becomes a football recruiter.
"...because every night when I go to sleep I dream that I can walk again. And every morning, I wake up and I have to accept it all over again."
Vince Howard: (played by Michael B. Jordan) is introduced as the boy from the wrong side of the tracks in season 4. His father is in jail and his mother is an alcoholic. You meet Vince when he is about to be arrested and sent to juvie. Vince is brought to Coach Taylor as a way to stay out of jail. Vince ends up becoming the quarterback of the East Dillion Lions. Vince really matures throughout the seasons with Coach as a sort of step in father figure.
"Why do you care about what I do so much? Aren't I just another player who can throw the ball good and run fast? ... I've lived here ten years. I've seen three of my best friends get killed walking home from school. This is my life. When I leave football practice, I'm the one looking over my should on my way home."
Luke Cafferty:
(played by Matt Lauria) is introduced in Season 4 as a Dillion Panther. Luke Cafferty lives on a farm and always hoped that football would be his ticket out of Dillion and the farm life. Luke lies to go to West Dillion but eventually gets caught and is forced to go to East Dillion. Luke becomes a football player for the East Dillion Lions. Luke`s parents are Christian and do not support his football playing as much as other parents in the show. Luke and Becky have an on again off again relationship. After not obtaining a football scholarship, Luke goes off to the army in the last episode.
"I traded my pig for you"
Becky Sproles
(played by Madison Burge) is introduced in season 4. She is the daughter of a single mother who had her when she was a teenager. Becky is a rally girl who often does pagents in her spear time. Soon after meeting Tim, she quickly becomes infatuated with him. After she gets rejected she has a one night stand with Luke. She then discovers she is pregnant and then has an abortion. She later reconnects with Luke and they become boyfriend and girlfriend. She also goes through various struggles like leaving home and moving in with the Riggins and becomes a waitress at a strip club.