what grade is matt saracen in in season 1
Matt Saracen - wikipedia Matt Saracen Jump to : navigation , search <Th_colspan="2"> Matt Saracen <Td_colspan="2"> Friday Night Lights character <Td_colspan="2"> Zach Gilford as Matthew Saracen First appearance `` Pilot '' Last appearance `` Always '' Created by Peter Berg Portrayed by Zach Gilford <Th_colspan="2"> Information Nickname ( s ) Matt , Matty , QB1 , Seven , Cobra , Mayday Occupation High School Student and Back - up Quarterback for the Dillon Panthers ( `` Pilot , '' Season 1 ) High School Student and Starting Quarterback for the Dillon Panthers ( Seasons 1 - 3 ) High School Student and Wide Receiver for the Dillon Panthers ( Season 3 ) High School Student and Alamo Freeze Assistant Manager ( Seasons 1 - 3 ) Community College Student and Panther Pizza Delivery Driver ( Season 4 ) College Art Student ( Season 4 - present ) Family Lorraine Saracen ( Grandmother ) Henry Saracen ( Father , deceased ) Shelby Garrett ( Mother ) Eric Taylor ( Father - in - Law ) Tami Taylor ( Mother - in - Law ) Gracie Taylor ( Sister - in - Law ) Significant other ( s ) Julie Taylor ( Girlfriend , Ex-Girlfriend , Fiancée , Wife ( ambiguous ) ) Carlotta ( fling ) Matthew `` Matt '' Saracen is a fictional character in the NBC / DirecTV ( The 101 Network ) television drama series Friday Night Lights portrayed by the actor , Zach Gilford . He is the former back - up quarterback of the Dillon High School Panthers before being thrust into the starting spotlight after Jason Street suffers a career - ending injury . His character is based on Mike Winchell from the source novel and the 2004 film Friday Night Lights . Contents ( hide ) 1 Background 2 Overview 3 Characterization 4 Storylines 4.1 Season 1 4.2 Season 2 4.3 Season 3 4.4 Season 4 4.5 Season 5 5 References Background ( edit ) Matt is the son of Henry Saracen and Shelby Garrett . He lives alone with his grandmother , Lorraine Saracen . Matt takes care of Lorraine due to her old age and battle with dementia . At one time , Matt 's relationship with both of his parents was strained . His father , Henry , was in the U.S. Army and his mother , Shelby , left Matt when he was a child after divorcing Henry . The full extent of their relationship is unknown , but it is implied that Henry may have been an abusive husband . Overview ( edit ) He is the back - up quarterback for the Dillon Panthers in the `` Pilot '' as a sophomore . Eventually , he is the starting quarterback for the Dillion Panthers in seasons 1 and 2 . He then becomes a wide receiver for the Dillon Panthers in season 3 , his senior year . He is a main character in seasons 1 through 3 and continues to play an important role in the series throughout seasons 4 and 5 . In season 1 , when Henry is first introduced , the difficult relationship between father is revealed , and throughout the show , it is shown that Matt sees Coach Eric Taylor as more of a father figure than Henry . Henry exhibits some symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder ( P.T.S.D. ) . Landry warns Matt that he ( Henry ) may be `` all messed up from the war . '' However , the term is never explicitly mentioned in the show , leading him to become distant and uncaring of his family , which deeply hurts Matt . During his senior year of high school , in season 3 , Matt slowly begins reconnecting with his mother , who desperately wants to be a part of her son 's life again . The season after graduating , season 4 , Matt 's father dies after stepping on an IED . Matt became a East Dillon supporter following Coach Taylor coaching the EDHS football program , along with Julie and Landry attending EDHS . Characterization ( edit ) Matt is something of an `` anti-jock '' who `` listens to Bob Dylan and draws pictures '' and is generally out of place with his teammates , such as Smash Williams and Tim Riggins , who are often seen hanging around girls or at parties , and even his predecessor , the charismatic and popular Jason Street . He is more socially awkward and often looks uncomfortable with the attention he receives as the star quarterback . His closest friend is Landry Clarke , a `` nerd '' . An introvert , Matt 's shy nature sometimes comes across as a lack of self - confidence and , according to Smash , he was `` so shy he had to e-mail his plays in '' . Unlike most of his teammates , college football is not high on his priority list after high school . Storylines ( edit ) Season 1 ( edit ) When the series begins , Matt is the back - up quarterback and something of a social outcast . His best friend is Landry Clarke , an honor student who does not play football . Matt spends much of his varsity career in the shadow of senior , Jason Street , but is thrown in the deep end when Jason suffers a career - ending spinal cord injury during the opening game of the season . Although he does well , his scrawny build does not inspire much confidence from the fans and the Panthers lose the very next game . Matt 's name board is vandalized and he is routinely mocked by rival high school students . Crushed by Jason 's injury , the town and particularly the team booster club force Coach Taylor to find a new quarterback because they do not believe that Matt can get the job done . As Matt continues to work his heart out and impress his teammates , a new quarterback who was displaced due to Hurricane Katrina , Ray `` Voodoo '' Tatum , joins the team and temporarily replaces Matt as the starter . However , Voodoo 's inability to be a team player and temper causes Coach Taylor to bench him and give the starting position back to Matt . Despite the upturn of events , Matt still struggles with feelings of inferiority and lack of confidence from time to time . In the episode , `` Ch - Ch - Ch - Ch - Changes '' , he , Jason , Riggins , and Smash hang out at the field and confesses that he is not confident of his chances in the upcoming state semifinals against the Brant Vikings , leading Jason to give him an impromptu coaching session right then and there . Jason is seen giving advice and encouraging him at the state semifinals against the Vikings , playing in pouring rain and a muddy field . Saracen finishes his sophomore season with a 60 % completion percentage , 2,586 yards , 19 touchdowns , 5 interceptions , and a 121.3 quarterback rating . In the state championship game , he passes for 283 yards and 2 touchdowns in leading the Panthers to a 27 -- 26 epic comeback victory over West Cambria High School . Matt also begins a relationship with Coach Taylor 's daughter , Julie . Beginning as a one - sided crush because of Julie 's intentions never to date a football player , the relationship blossoms when Julie recognizes that Matt is not a stereotypical jock . Coach Taylor is not very pleased that they are dating and often interferes with their relationship . Matt also develops a father - son bond with Coach Taylor and feels betrayed when Coach Taylor accepts a job at TMU at the end of the season . Matt 's relationship with Coach never fully recovers . Season 2 ( edit ) Season 2 begins with Matt 's relationship with Julie , who stays in Dillon with her mom while Coach Taylor lives in Austin , falling apart . Julie 's problems at home , coupled with a crush on her older co-worker , cause her to break up with Matt . After some time , Julie attempts to reconcile . At first , Matt is receptive , but he eventually refuses , saying that he will feel like a chump if he takes her back . Matt begins dating the new cheerleader at school . Matt 's friendship with Smash also begins falling apart . Matt believes that Smash , now a heavily - recruited senior , no longer cares about the team and cares only about himself and his college prospects . The two get into a fight after the first game of the season and continue fighting until Coach Taylor , back from his stint at TMU , benches them until they can get their act together . They quickly realize that they are fighting for nothing and become friends again . Problems at home force Matt to get an at - home nurse named Carlotta for his grandmother . At first , neither Matt nor his grandmother like Carlotta very much , but they soon begin to welcome her into their home . Matt develops feelings for Carlotta and breaks up with his cheerleader girlfriend so he can be with Carlotta . She rebuffs him at first , but gives in eventually and she and Matt have sex . Their relationship does not last long , as Carlotta leaves the Saracen house to return to her family in Guatemala . Tired of everything he has gone through , Matt begins skipping school and practice so he can get drunk with Tim . A night at the strip club with Tim ends early when Matt 's grandmother has an accident at home and is taken to the hospital . Matt passes out waiting for his grandmother to be released , which forces Coach Taylor to drive both home . A furious Coach throws Matt into a cold shower and berates him before Matt breaks down , asking Coach what is wrong with him that everyone in his life leaves him for something better . Coach responds by telling Matt that there is nothing wrong with him at all . Matt shapes up afterwards . Season 3 ( edit ) Season 3 begins almost a year after the conclusion of Season 2 . New freshman quarterback , J.D. McCoy , who has just moved to Dillon , threatens Matt 's position on the team . While Matt is still playing well , the new quarterback 's skills , along with public pressure , force Coach Taylor to give J.D. the starting position . Matt , furious , threatens to quit before Coach talks him out of it . Matt agrees to stay on the team and sit on the bench , though he eventually convinces Coach to allow him to play wide receiver . Matt 's final game as a Panther sees him return to the quarterback position in the second half of the state championship game after J.D. 's poor performance . After being held scoreless in the first half , the Panthers take the lead due to Matt 's strong play , but they lose on the final possession when the other team kicks a field goal . During the season , Matt slowly begins reconnecting with his mother , whom he sets out to find to become an emancipated minor and take care of his grandmother 's medical issues . After learning about Matt 's problems , his mother comes to Dillon hoping that Matt will allow her to help out at home even if he does not forgive her for leaving when he was a child . Matt also begins dating Julie again after a day spent together at the lake . Coach Taylor once again is not too pleased , especially after catching Julie in bed with Matt . Matt 's college prospects also come into play . He will not be playing football anywhere after being benched as a senior . He once confides to his mother after being benched that he never wanted to play in college and felt undeserving to be starting quarterback at all , given the circumstances leading to him becoming `` QB1 '' . Matt looks at different art schools before deciding on the School of the Art Institute of Chicago . Knowing he will be away from home , he helps his grandmother move into an assisted living home . In the end , Matt changes his mind , unable to leave his grandmother , the only person who has stayed by his side all of his life . Season 4 ( edit ) Season 4 marks a transition for Matt Saracen , and the departure of his character in a leading role as the show shifts its focus to other characters . As the season begins , Matt is a pizza delivery driver attending community college . He begins to realize that his past in Dillon is holding him back , finally admitting this on a hunting trip with Tim Riggins . Upon hearing the news that his father was killed in action in the war , a devastated Matt attempts to make sense of his life . After military compensation for his father 's death ( along with life insurance ) is enough for his grandma to live comfortably , Matt abruptly leaves for Chicago to finally attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago -- without telling Julie . Matt eventually calls her to offer an apology , but she refuses to accept it . Matt returns to Dillon for Thanksgiving , hoping to finally make amends . He tells Julie that if he did not leave when he did , he may have never left . He still , however , wishes to be with her and has already bought her a plane ticket back to Chicago . Julie still cares for Matt and wants to go with him , but she declines , saying that upending her life to follow him to Chicago will prevent her from pursuing her own dreams . Matt recognizes she is right , and the two amicably go their separate ways . Matt reconnects with his best friend by giving the ticket to Landry . Season 5 ( edit ) Julie visits Matt in Chicago on her way back to college after an incident with her History TA . Even though Julie says that she does not fit in Matt 's life anymore , the two quickly resume their relationship . Before Julie leaves , Matt tells her that they will figure out a way to make things work . Matt surprises Julie and his grandmother by returning home for Christmas . He tells Julie that he wants to be with her forever and proposes , in front of the Alamo Freeze . Despite worries from Coach Taylor and Tami , the young couple convinces them that they are making the right choice . In the final moments of the series , which occurs eight months later , the two are shown happily living together in Chicago . References ( edit ) Jump up ^ `` Nevermind '' . Friday Night Lights . Season 1 . Episode 11 . January 3 , 2007 . NBC . Jump up ^ `` Eyes Wide Open '' . Friday Night Lights . Season 1 . Episode 21 . October 10 , 2006 . NBC . Jump up ^ `` Best Laid Plans '' . Friday Night Lights . Season 1 . Episode 21 . April 4 , 2007 . NBC . ^ Jump up to : `` Every Rose Has Its Thorn '' . Friday Night Lights . Season 3 . Episode 5 . October 29 , 2008 . NBC . Jump up ^ `` Mud Bowl '' . Friday Night Lights . Season 1 . Episode 20 . March 28 , 2007 . NBC . <Th_colspan="2"> ( hide ) Friday Night Lights Characters Eric Taylor Matt Saracen Jason Street Smash Williams Tim Riggins Tami Taylor Lyla Garrity Tyra Collette Episodes Season 1 `` Pilot '' Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 `` The Son '' Season 5 Soundtracks Film soundtrack Television soundtrack ( Vol. 1 ) Television soundtrack ( Vol. 2 ) Related Film Friday Night Lights : A Town , a Team , and a Dream Boobie Miles Gary Gaines Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matt_Saracen&oldid=807216483 '' Categories : Friday Night Lights ( TV series ) characters Fictional characters from Texas Fictional characters introduced in 2006 Fictional players of American football Hidden categories : Pages using deprecated image syntax Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Edit links This page was last edited on 26 October 2017 , at 17 : 05 . Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply . 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1. Matt Saracen - Friday Night Lights character
2. Zach Gilford - actor who portrayed Matt Saracen
3. High school football - Dillon Panthers
4. Relationships - Julie Taylor, Coach Eric Taylor
5. Character development - from backup quarterback to starting quarterback