The Game Plan For 'Friday Night Lights' Season Three: Who's In & Who's (Making) Out

There's nothing like Matt Saracen and Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) to wake my tired mug up on day 12 of Press Tour. Can't honestly complain about working on a Sunday when my job is to sit at a table and stare at the talented cast of Friday Night Lights and then grill executive producer Jason Katims about what's on tap for the third season -- which will debut on DirecTV on October 1st, btw -- And speaking of, I got scoop...

Rather than picking up where the strike left FNL, we're jumping forward eight months to the beginning of a new school year.

Jason Street and Smash Williams are not returning to the show as series regulars. Katims said the reason for that is simply storyline. They've both graduated, and have to move forward. But we haven't seen the last of Scott Porter and Gaius Charles. Both Street and Smash will have powerful three-to-four episode arcs in this 13-hour season, and the door will remain open for them to return.

Lyla has kicked Matt Czuchry and her born-again Christian ways to the curb, and is finally givin' it up to Mr. Timothy Riggins. Apparently she's trying to be a good influence on Riggs, encouraging him to apply to college and get a scholarship. The big question between them, however, will be whether or not they're headed in the same direction.

Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) and Landry? During the eight month gap, Ms. Collette's feelings for Mr. Clarke have kind of fizzled. Katims said that while she loves Landry, he's not really the guy for her, so the story will become about whether or not they can remain friends... especially when Tyra starts dating an old friend of Billy Riggins who is a local rodeo star. It's going to get pretty intense, especially since the couple's actual status is somewhat iffy: "Depends on whether you ask Tyra or you ask Landry," Katims laughed. "Tyra would say they broke up, Landry would say they're taking a break."

Matt and Julie? They're moving forward. Katims said they will very slowly start to be friends again. Whether or not the romance rekindles, we'll have to wait and see (but Zach Gilford who plays Saracen has a few strong feelings on that, which I'll tell you about tomorrow, so stay tuned).

Either way, Saracen will have drama in his life with the arrival of his mother who he hasn't seen since he was like seven-years-old. Also complicating things is the arrival of J.D. McCoy, a freshman who happens to be a phenomenal quarterback. There will be controversy over who's going to be starting, him or Saracen. Said Katims, "Both of [J.D. McCoy's] parents are in the storyline. His father is a very successful beer distributor. They've actually moved from Dallas, specifically so he could play for The Panthers, so it's also about the pressure this very successful father is trying to put on the coach. That's a story I've always wanted to tell."

Taking a bit of the edge off Saracen's story is the presence of his old pal, Landry. Now single -- and not wrapped up in a murder plot! -- Katims promised that their unique buddy/sidekick/advisor relationship that we missed so much last year will be revived. FYI, Landry is still on the football team, in case you were wondering.

A relationship that we will not revisit is the Santiago-Buddy Garrity pairing. Benny Ciaramello, who played Santiago, has moved on, but the writers have planned a lot of good story for Buddy: one will deal with the relationship between Lyla and Riggs, the other will be all about his relationship with Dillon High's new principal, Mrs. Tami Taylor (Connie Britton). Being the head of the boosters, Buddy will have quite a bit of interaction with her.

Yes, Mrs. T is the school's new leading lady, which may create some issues at home between her and Coach Eric Taylor. As for the Taylor's sometimes contentious relationship with their daughter Julie, Connie Britton said "there might be a tattoo situation."

Sigh. October seems so far away...