Friday Night Lights (season 2) - Season Synopsis

Season Synopsis

At the beginning of Season 2, Coach Taylor is living in Austin and coaching at Texas Methodist University as the new football season draws closer. With Taylor gone, coach McGregor butting heads with players and Boosters, Smash's increased cockiness angering his teammates and the pressure to get back to the State Championship increasing, the Panthers slowly begin falling apart. Things are also not well at the Taylor home, following the birth of Eric and Tami's daughter Gracie. Tami becomes depressed as she takes care of Gracie alone. Julie refuses to help her mother, begins spending time with male co-worker "The Swede," and breaks up with Matt. Matt, upset over the breakup and over Taylor's absence, faces even more challenges as a rift between himself and Smash emerges and caring for his grandmother becomes a bigger struggle as her dementia slowly gets worse.

Tensions reach a boiling point during the first game of the season. With Taylor watching, Coach McGregor angers Boosters by switching the final play, resulting in Smash and Matt getting into a physical confrontation. Tami loses it with Julie and slaps her across the face during a late night argument. Street quits his position as assistant coach, fed up with the team and learning that his condition will not improve even after regaining full motor control in one of his hands. After losing the second game and seeing another physical confrontation between Smash and Matt, the Boosters fire McGregor and offer Taylor the position if he leaves TMU. Taylor, seeing how bad things are at home with his family and team, leaves TMU and returns to coaching the Panthers.