Eric Taylor is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 in the NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

/DirecTV

DirecTV

DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...

 (The 101 Network) drama

Drama

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...

 television series Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Lights (TV series)

Friday Night Lights is an American sports drama television series adapted by Peter Berg, Brian Grazer and David Nevins from a book and film of the same name. The series details events surrounding a high school football team based in fictional Dillon, Texas, with particular focus given to team...

played by Kyle Chandler

Kyle Chandler

Kyle Martin Chandler is an American film and television actor best known for his roles in the television shows Early Edition as Gary Hobson, Deputy Jackson Lamb in the film Super 8, and as Coach Eric Taylor in Friday Night Lights, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead...

. He is introduced as the head coach of the Dillon High School football team, the Dillon Panthers. At the end of the first season he accepts a position as the quarterback coach at the fictional Texas Methodist University (TMU), where he had served as an assistant coach. After the birth of his second daughter he leaves TMU in the second season to return to Dillon and once again coach the Panthers. Following a conspiracy by Joe McCoy in season three Taylor is replaced as Panthers coach by Wade Aikman and instead offered the chance to start a new football program at East Dillon.

Season 1

Despite squeaking into the playoffs, the Panthers ended the season with a record of 12-2 and won the 2006 Texas High School State Championship, winning a thrilling final game by overcoming a 26-0 deficit, 27-26. After top recruit Jason Street's tragic injury, sophomore Matt Saracen stepped in to fill his shoes. Along with teammates Smash Williams and Tim Riggins, Saracen led the Panthers to a victory in the state final over ex-Panther Ray "Voodoo" Tatum's team, West Cambria. Tatum was brought in during the season to replace Street by Buddy Garrity and the boosters, but was kicked off the team by Coach Taylor due to his selfish play.

Season 2

Taylor decided to leave his position at TMU and rejoin the Panthers after Buddy Garrity and the boosters fired his replacement due to frustration with the team's performance the first four games, in which they posted a 2-2 record. After Taylor's return, the Panthers went on a prolonged winning streak, qualifying for the playoffs with an 8-2 record. However, their quest for a second consecutive state title fell short, as the Panthers lost in the state quarterfinal, ending the season with a 9-3 record.

Season 3

Again, as in season 1, quarterback controversy surrounded the Panthers the entire year, with a conflict emerging between veteran Matt Saracen and young phenom JD McCoy. The two shared playing time the first few games of the season, after which time Taylor decided to start McCoy and demote Saracen to second string. Determined to win back a starting role, Saracen, with the help of his girlfriend and coach's daughter Julie Taylor, convinces Coach Taylor to give him a starting role as a wide receiver. Saracen plays well in his new role, and along with McCoy and Riggins, helps the Panthers post their strongest regular season under Coach Taylor, as they cruised into the playoffs with a 9-1 record. For the second time in three seasons, the Panthers reached the state final; however, McCoy broke down mentally, and the Panthers found themselves losing by a huge margin at halftime again. Sensing McCoy's immaturity, Taylor decided to play Saracen at quarterback in the second half, in which Matt led the Panthers to a tremendous comeback. However, poor time management caused the Panthers to relinquish their lead, as they fell in the final seconds of the state championship, 30-28. The Panthers ended the season with a 12-2 mark.

Season 4

West Dillon decided not to renew Coach Taylor's contract, as Joe McCoy's influence led the boosters and the school board to select Wade Aikman, JD McCoy's personal quarterback coach, as the new Panther Head Coach. Taylor's failure to comply with McCoy and Aikman's demands—total control of offensive play calling—led to his departure. Taylor was selected to coach the new team at East Dillon, where he would have to start from scratch. In the first game, the East Dillon Lions looked completely overmatched, trailing 45-0 at halftime, at which time Taylor decided to forfeit the game, due to his players' injuries. Taylor eventually apologized for this decision, as it demoralized his players and took him several days to win back their respect. During the season, under Taylor's tutelage, sophomore quarterback Vince Howard emerged as one of the state's best players. After the first game, Buddy Garrity switched allegiances, due to his frustration with Panther leadership, and alerted Coach Taylor to the real address of West Dillon star running back Luke Cafferty. With Howard and the acquisition of Cafferty from West Dillion, the Lions ended the season respectably, defeating West Dillion in the final game on a field goal by Landry Clarke. Although the Lions ended the season with a poor 2-8 mark, Taylor, Howard, and Cafferty had laid the foundation for next year's championship team.

Season 5

The Lions began the season on a roll, winning their first seven games, including a blowout of crosstown rival West Dillon. During the season, under the influence of his father, Vince Howard became corrupted by the recruitment process, which caused the end of Lions winning streak. Vince's temporary selfishness forced Coach Taylor to bench him and start Cafferty at quarterback. Although the offense struggled when Howard was benched, Cafferty led the Lions to a thrilling last second victory, in which they clinched a playoff berth. Howard realized his mistakes and grew into a mature leader toward the end of the season, leading the Lions to dominate throughout the playoffs and reach the state final. Howard threw a Hail Mary touchdown pass to clinch the state championship for the Lions 27-26. Despite the state championship, budget cuts forced the elimination of the Lions after the season, at which time the Lions players would join the Panthers, and Taylor would move away from Dillon and begin coaching the Pemberton Pioneers in Philadelphia, due to a career opportunity for his wife Tami.

Coach Taylor's Record

As Head Coach of the Panthers for 3 seasons and Lions for 2, Eric Taylor compiled an impressive 50-16 record, including 4 playoff appearances, 3 state finals appearances, and 2 state championships. With the Panthers, Taylor compiled a record of 31-5, including two 11-2 seasons; 2006 in which he won the state final and 2008 in which he reached the state final, as well as a 8-3 (counting playoff loss) mark after returning in 2007. With the Lions, Taylor compiled a record of 14-9, including a 12-1 mark in 2010, in which he won his second state title.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose