Hot Gallery: Friday Night Lights Cast Before They Were Stars

We love Gilford's "Matt Saracen" so much. He takes care of his grandma, works at the Alamo Freeze and fell in love with his football coach's daughter (awkward!). He also got the chance of a lifetime when he was bumped up to play quarterback for the Panthers as a sophomore and wowed the whole town. Next up for Gilford: He's starring in the feature The Purge: Anarchy.

It's hard work playing the girl, Lyla Garrity, that every boy wants to date. But after cheating on boyfriend Jason with his BFF Tim, Lyla quit cheerleading and began her rebellion period. Though she did love Tim, she decided college was her best shot at the life she really wanted. Minka can be seen playing Detective Valerie Stahl on Fox's Almost Human.

We fell in love with Jesse's "Landry Clarke" from the first moment we saw him and best buddy Matt (Zach Gilford) make fun of each other while tossing a football in around in the yard. Often the comic relief, Landry became quite the stud when he dated Tyra (Adrianne Palicki). Next up, Plemons took a terrifying turn as Todd on Breaking Bad and next up Plemons will be in the currently untitled Lance Armstrong biopic.

Adrianne Palicki was runner up for homecoming queen before setting off for Hollywood and becoming the troubled but redeemed Tyra Colette on Friday Night Lights. Tyra was a tough cookie, but with the help of Tami Taylor, went on to college and to find love with the gorgeous Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch). Next up for Palicki, after the failed Wonder Woman pilot, is G.I. Joe 3.

As Coach Eric Taylor, Chandler inspired the town of Dillon, Texas, their Panther football team, and later the East Dillon Lions with his tough love, compassion and goosebump-inducing "Clear eyes, full hearts can't lose!" (Not to mention being easy on the eyes, am I right ladies?) Today, Chandler has become a two-time Emmy nominee (and winner!) for Friday Night Lights, and a bonafide movie star after roles in Super 8, The Wolf of Wall Street and Zero Dark Thirty.