Jason Street, The Beginning of His Fate
Jason Street (Scott Porter) was set to go into his season as the number one overall quarterback prospect in the country. He had scholarship offers from every top university in the nation. The golden boy, the savior of the small town of Dillion, Texas. Jason had the prized girl. The head cheerleader, Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly). Also known as the spoiled, rich girl of the longtime booster and car king, Buddy Garrity (Brad Leyland).
Jason and Lyla seemingly had it all. Everything laid out in front of them. Jason was about set to accept an offer to the University of Notre Dame. Lyla was to attend the university of Saint Mary’s to be close to Jason as he would begin his journey towards his goal of making it to the NFL.
Jason even had arguably the best up-and-coming head high school football coach, Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler). Heck, Jason was the sole reason that Coach Taylor even got this opportunity to lead the Dillon Panther football program. Jason had trained under the tutelage of Coach Taylor since pee-wee. Coach Taylor knew that Jason was his meal ticket and was excited to enter the season with his prized pupil under center.
Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) was Jason’s best friend and teammate. They both had this “us against the world” mentality as they would often proclaim their famous “Texas Forever” slogan. Jason and Tim could not have been any more of the odd couple. Jason was this mild-mannered, clean-cut all-American type. While Tim was this long-haired, beer-drinking, whip your ass type of guy.
As I recall, it was game week and all the media was gathered around the team after practice. All trying to be the first to get an interview with the great, Jason Street! Jason, in his own humble way, would always downplay his own hype and would redirect all self-praise back to his teammates. Jason was like that. He was everything that you would expect in a team leader.
Finally, game day is upon us! Tonight will be the first game of Jason’s much-anticipated senior season. Game night begins in the locker room just prior to storming the field with Coach Taylor’s mantra to his player gathered around. “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose!” followed by the bellow of “Can’t Lose!” of the group of players. It was time to get this thing started!
It was pretty much a seesaw battle throughout the first three quarters of action. The Panthers had gone into this game as a heavy favorite. But their opponent was proving to be all that the Panthers could handle, and more.
A rattled Jason Street was giving his version of what he was seeing and fighting through during halftime adjustments. A more confident team would return to the field for the second half of play.
After a dogfight of a third quarter, the Panthers found themselves on the wrong end of a double digit lead mid-way through the fourth quarter. Jason, confident in his abilities returned to the field, determined to lead his Panthers to a come from behind victory.
Jason had the opponent right where he wanted them. He was leading the Panthers down the field in a surgeon-like manner when his deep pass was unexpectly intercepted and was being returned back in the opposite direction. Jason, agitated by his errant pass, proceeds to run towards the player running towards the Panther’s goal line. The impact of the hit would send Jason’s body into a mid-air turnabout and land him facedown on the turf.
Laying motionless as Jason’s parents, Mitchell (Mark Nutter) and Joanne (Katherine Willis) looked on from the stands in sheer horror before rushing to the field to check the status on their only child.
Jason was eventually carefully rolled over by trainers and after examing him things were not looking good.
Be sure to check back for the continuation of the story of Jason Street, of the mega-hit, Friday Night Lights!