355:, 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. Thanks to a pep-talk from Landry, they quickly realize that they are fighting for nothing and become friends again.
413:—without telling either Julie or Landry. 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 also apologizes to Landry and reconnects with him by giving him the ticket to Chicago.
339:", 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.
265:(P.T.S.D.). Landry warns Matt that he 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
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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 take place eight months later, the two are shown happily living together in Chicago.
323:, 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
335:, 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, "
380:. 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.
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forces Coach Taylor to drive them 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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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,
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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
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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.
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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,
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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.
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392:. 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.
405:, 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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
301:". 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,
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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.
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Matt is the son of Henry
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In season 1, when Henry is first introduced, the difficult relationship between father and son is revealed. Throughout the show, it is shown that Matt sees Coach
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finally admitting this on a hunting trip with Tim
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Season 2 begins with Matt's relationship with Julie, who stays in Dillon with her mom while Coach Taylor lives in
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suffers a career-ending injury. His character is based on Mike
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him becoming "QB1". Matt looks at different art schools before deciding on the
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as more of a father figure than Henry. Henry exhibits some symptoms of
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Community college student and Panther pizza delivery driver (season 4)
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Actor Zach Gilford is from Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago
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Back-up quarterback for the Dillon Panthers ("Pilot," Season 1)
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He is the back-up quarterback for the Dillon Panthers in the
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Starting quarterback for the Dillon Panthers (seasons 1-3)
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is not high on his priority list after high school.
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537:. Season 3. Episode 5. October 29, 2008. NBC.
490:. Season 1. Episode 2. October 10, 2006. NBC.
469:. Season 1. Episode 11. January 3, 2007. NBC.
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558:. Season 1. Episode 20. March 28, 2007. NBC.
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511:. Season 1. Episode 21. April 4, 2007. NBC.
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104:Matt, Matty, QB1, Seven, Cobra, Mayday
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806:Are You Ready for Friday Night?
702:What to Do While You're Waiting
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945:It Ain't Easy Being J.D. McCoy
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730:Black Eyes and Broken Hearts
855:There Goes the Neighborhood
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737:I Think We Should Have Sex
206:. He is the former backup
1125:On the Outside Looking In
869:Who Do You Think You Are?
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924:How the Other Half Lives
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86:Portrayed by
44:Zach Gilford
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1319:Gary Gaines
1269:Soundtracks
1250:Tami Taylor
1245:Tim Riggins
1225:Eric Taylor
1084:Injury List
1063:Toilet Bowl
834:Pantherama!
681:Full Hearts
653:Git'er Done
291:Tim Riggins
259:Eric Taylor
208:quarterback
157:Tami Taylor
152:Eric Taylor
1334:Categories
1217:Characters
1056:In the Bag
876:Humble Pie
667:Homecoming
446:References
309:Storylines
226:Background
109:Occupation
80:Peter Berg
76:Created by
1188:The March
1174:Gut Check
987:Underdogs
799:Bad Ideas
695:Nevermind
461:Nevermind
361:Guatemala
283:Bob Dylan
236:U.S. Army
140:(Father,
32:character
1181:Don't Go
1167:Fracture
1109:Season 5
1091:Laboring
1005:Season 4
901:Season 3
813:Backfire
783:Season 2
758:Mud Bowl
723:Blinders
616:Season 1
607:Episodes
550:Mud Bowl
417:Season 5
396:Season 4
371:Season 3
347:Season 2
314:Season 1
242:Overview
232:dementia
149:(Mother)
142:deceased
101:Nickname
1295:Related
1146:Kingdom
1077:I Can't
1042:The Son
407:Chicago
403:the war
248:”Pilot”
187:DirecTV
1202:Always
1153:Swerve
353:Austin
327:force
169:Spouse
129:Family
69:Always
772:State
625:Pilot
426:Notes
57:Pilot
1302:Film
1049:Stay
299:nerd
289:and
279:jock
218:and
552:".
531:".
505:".
484:".
463:".
267:IED
183:NBC
1336::
517:^
363:.
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