In Matt Holtry’s 16 years of teaching highschool soccer in Homedale, Idaho, he wanted to pack two jerseys – one for offense and the opposite for protection – for only one participant.
So when it got here time to retire Scott Matlock’s quantity this summer time, Homedale needed to resolve which jersey quantity would go within the rafters: 44 or 99? Drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers within the sixth spherical final 12 months, Matlock wore “99” as a defensive lineman, similar as he did at Boise State. The No. 44 jersey went into the glass case.
Little did Matlock – or anyone – know then that just a few months later he would don the quantity as soon as once more.
“It was type of surreal that occurred the way in which it did,” Holtry advised USA TODAY Sports activities.
Matlock continues to be taking part in on the Chargers’ line of defense and contributing on particular groups, however he’s emerged as a mainstay within the crew’s offense underneath first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. On the finish of coaching camp, they switched his jersey quantity to 44, signaling he’d have a higher function within the offense. Via 5 video games, Matlock has been on the sphere for 37% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps, in comparison with 18% of defensive performs (he additionally performs greater than half the time on particular groups).
In keeping with an evaluation of snap-count information on Professional Soccer Reference after Week 6, seven groups (together with the Chargers) have had gamers take snaps on each offense and protection this season – eight gamers for a complete of 25 performs. Matlock has been on the sphere for 166 performs from scrimmage, and that quantity excludes the 74 occasions he’s trotted on the market on particular groups. Matlock could have to attend till Travis Hunter, the potential No. 1 decide within the 2025 draft who performs each cornerback and broad receiver for Colorado, for any actual competitors in that division.
“The final six weeks, seven weeks, they’ve undoubtedly been enjoyable,” Matlock advised USA TODAY Sports activities. “It’s simply been going by so fast, as life does.”
At 24, Matlock is aware of that higher than many individuals with extra life expertise. His journey is just not solely considered one of protection to offense, however from foster care to unheralded school soccer prospect to NFL draft decide.
“He’s been by way of a lot. If there’s anyone that deserves this, it’s him,” Holtry stated. “However he’s so good about it. He’s so humble about it.”
Forging by way of tragedy – and realizing a soccer dream
Matlock’s father, Doug, died from most cancers when Scott was 9. 4 years later, Matlock discovered his mom useless on the sofa after she succumbed to coronary heart illness. Together with his older brother Steven on the College of Idaho as a freshman offensive lineman, Scott Matlock entered the state’s foster care system.
He ultimately wound up with Mike and Donna Marose of Homedale, Idaho, about 45 miles away from the place Matlock grew up in Boise. Earlier than Matlock started his freshman 12 months at Homedale, Donna arrange a gathering with the brand new household and Holtry, the varsity’s soccer coach and principal.
“He was kinda like, nearly, that beat canine,” Holtry stated. “He didn’t need to be there. You would inform this was not a part of his plan.”
Matlock was skinny and awkward on the junior varsity soccer area; the coaches referred to as him “bambi.” The potential was there, although. There was hope he would develop into his body, as Stephen had.
Fairly quickly, Holtry might inform Matlock was destined for one thing past being a great small-town highschool soccer participant. He would follow cross rush strikes on the pillars in Homedale’s hallway.
“He was at all times eager about soccer. He was at all times speaking about soccer,” Holtry stated.
Someday round spring of his sophomore 12 months, Matlock received in hassle for sneaking out. Donna was upset and threatened to remove soccer and switch him to a special college. Holtry talked her off that ledge.
“They held him to a excessive normal they usually had expectations for him,” Holtry stated. “They have been going to guarantee that he was doing the proper issues and being the proper particular person. It was nice for him. As a result of he wanted that.”
Matlock is aware of he wouldn’t have made it by way of that making an attempt time in his life with out the Maroses.
“I wouldn’t be right here if it wasn’t for them, that’s for certain,” he stated. “They took me in, cherished me like considered one of their very own, raised me to be a accountable younger man. Couldn’t say sufficient about them.”
Matlock’s means to play a number of positions dates again to Homedale. Holtry’s technique with Matlock on the sphere was easy sufficient: put him on the level of assault. Matlock performed defensive deal with, defensive finish, tight finish, H-back and all 5 offensive line positions.
“The child actually was just like the Swiss-Military knife of highschool soccer,” Holtry stated, “and it’s superior to see that that is the story that’s unfolding on the NFL stage. As a result of that’s what he was for us.”
Harbaugh is someone Holtry has adopted since he coached on the College of San Diego 20 years in the past. The foundations of their offense – the ability and counter-iso scheme – are comparable, Holtry stated.
“The man’s a machine,” Holtry stated. “If a man is in his approach, he’s going to maneuver them.”
As Matlock’s senior season approached, Holtry positioned a name to his teammate at Boise State, Andy Avalos, then the varsity’s linebackers coach.
If there was a child price taking a shot on, it was Matlock, he advised Avalos. The varsity didn’t supply a scholarship instantly. Jap Washington, Weber State, Idaho State and the College of Idaho got here by way of with presents of their very own. Lastly, Boise State advised Matlock there was a scholarship along with his title on it.
“The remaining is historical past,” Holtry stated.
“It was undoubtedly a dream come true,” Matlock stated.
Embracing a do-it-all mentality
At Boise State, the coaches referred to as the package deal “Clydesdales.” The massive our bodies from the line of defense would run onto the sphere to supply the heft to assist the Broncos in short-yardage conditions, normally close to the aim line.
Matlock would typically stand behind Avalos, who turned the Broncos’ head coach in 2021, and slam his heel into the bottom, performing like a horse able to go. “ what time it’s,” he’d inform Avalos.
“I cherished it,” Avalos, now the defensive coordinator at Texas Christian, advised USA TODAY Sports activities. “Since you knew what you have been getting out of these dudes on the sphere.”
Matlock confirmed as much as Boise State at 240 kilos. Over 5 years, he molded himself right into a dominating bodily presence. What Avalos misses about teaching Matlock is that “he simply brings a vibe within the hardest of occasions – coaching and preparation – that you just simply love.” He works onerous with out making it troublesome for these round him.
“I don’t care what locker room you set that man in,” Avalos stated. “He’s going to die for the trigger – to do what’s proper for the crew.”
By the point his senior season arrived in 2022, Matlock labored his approach onto the Bednarik and Outland Trophy watch lists after a seven-sack marketing campaign the 12 months prior. He caught a landing in opposition to Utah State in 2021 and did the identical on Senior Day in 2022, which turned considered one of his favourite school reminiscences.
“From a defensive standpoint, his soccer IQ is extraordinarily excessive,” Avalos stated.
Matlock might distinguish a run or cross play from his three-point cross earlier than the ball was snapped. After he did that each one recreation in opposition to Air Power, the academy’s future opponents hit Matlock up for weeks on social media to determine how he did it.
However his largest affect got here by merely getting into the sport, former Boise State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Plough stated.
“Simply him being round these guys within the huddle immediately improved our mentality down there, and so we have been significantly better in these conditions,” Plough, now the pinnacle coach at UC-Davis, advised USA TODAY Sports activities.
The Broncos teaching employees might line Matlock up within the backfield to be the lead blocker or put him in-line at tight finish to dominate the sting if there was a matchup they favored.
“He would fully cave his aspect, and we might mainly simply run behind him,” Plough stated.
Nobody anticipated him to be concerned within the cross recreation, however the teaching employees was definitely conscious of his athleticism – even past the soccer area. Avalos stated his “unfastened hips” made him top-of-the-line golfers he’s ever seen. He dominated crew bowling occasions.
However catching passes within the NFL from Justin Herbert (Matlock has one reception for seven yards)?
“Seeing him do this now is just not stunning,” Plough stated. “Seeing him have success is just not stunning.”
For Matlock to have the bodily functionality is one factor. The psychological side is the important thing, Plough stated.
In school, Matlock would return to the soccer coaches’ places of work after class Monday or Tuesday and watch the 5 or 6 performs he wanted to study on tape. At follow, normally Wednesdays, he’d dash from one aspect to the opposite for his package deal of performs in the course of the offensive goal-line interval.
“Instantly, the offense would elevate its stage of play as a result of they’d somebody driving them with that mentality. Like, ‘We’re going to get this yard guys. We’re going to get this carried out.’ That was infectious. And I’m certain it nonetheless is at present.”
An unlikely NFL thought takes form
Possibly Matlock took Travis Kelce somewhat too actually.
Following the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ defeat of the Chargers final October, Matlock approached the Chiefs tight finish. He requested for recommendation.
“ what it’s?” the nine-time Professional Bowler advised Matlock in a dialog captured by microphones. “Perceive the opposite aspect of the ball simply in addition to you already know your aspect of the ball.”
After the sport, Matlock had an thought.
“I used to be like, ‘Nicely, I’ll simply play offense, too,’” he stated. “It’s type of ironic.”
The joke of Matlock taking part in offense first popped up when former Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, a fellow Boise State product, advised reporters questioning the crew’s tight-end manufacturing “perhaps we’ve received one thing right here.”
Harbaugh and his employees got here in, and all of a sudden nobody was laughing on the thought of Matlock on offense.
“It wasn’t actually my thought,” Matlock stated. “There could have been some juking round in coaching camp. Clearly, they knew I performed that package deal in school and I caught two landing passes and had some good fingers.”
Matlock juggles his totally different hats each morning. Offensive assembly. Defensive assembly. Walkthrough on offense. Walkthrough on protection. There’s a particular groups assembly someplace in there and walkthroughs for that unit, too. He practices principally with the line of defense but additionally mixes in repetitions with the offense.
“It’s much more than in school,” stated Matlock, who’s now accountable for mastering a whole playbook on the skilled stage – not precisely the identical as 5 performs to memorize for Mountain West opponents.
Roman transformed one other former defensive lineman into an offensive participant with the Baltimore Ravens in Patrick Ricard, the four-time Professional Bowl fullback who dabbled as a two-way menace early in his profession.
“Scott has lots on his plate, and it’s wonderful how he’s dealing with it,” Roman stated in September. “I can’t converse sufficient about how diligently he’s getting ready, and he’s getting higher each week. How spectacular is that?”
In Roman’s offense, Matlock takes on the function of the H-back, which is analogous to the place he performed in Holtry’s scheme again in Homedale.
“I don’t suppose (Roman) was all too in opposition to doing it,” Matlock stated. “We began sluggish. It simply type of constructed up from there into what it’s. Nobody actually noticed this coming, I don’t suppose.”
Remembering his roots
At his jersey retirement in Homedale, Matlock stood within the beating solar for 45 minutes to signal all the pieces the children in attendance handed him.
Matlock might have stop or made excuses given all the pieces he went by way of as a toddler and no one would have thought twice, Holtry stated. That’s not what Matlock did, although.
“He’s received such a great coronary heart,” Holtry stated. “Those that know him, he’s such a teddy bear.”
Steven Matlock has lived with Scott Matlock because the latter’s junior 12 months at Boise State. They’re {golfing} buddies. Matlock stated his huge brother is his inspiration, motivator and function mannequin.
“He’s been my rock for some time,” Matlock stated.
Matlock served on the management council at Boise State. His foremost message to teammates, Plough stated, typically revolved round “must versus need to.”
“He had that mindset with all the pieces he did, from coaching within the offseason, to taking part in offense or protection. I feel he felt actually grateful. He had that humility about him.”
Matlock by no means panicked. He was at all times solution-oriented. Negativity wasn’t acceptable.
“The adversity that has formed him would break lots of people,” Plough stated. “All it did for him was make him such a robust particular person and somebody who’s in a position to undergo adversity and overcome it.”
Final season, Matlock recorded 15 tackles and one quarterback hit in 12 video games. Now he’s a presence in three phases.
“I nonetheless received GMs and D-line coaches within the NFL which are like, ‘We screwed up,’” Avalos stated. “He was a man. And I’m so completely happy for him, that he’s doing what he’s doing now.”
How Matlock made it so far is one thing he asks himself.
“I nonetheless surprise that to at the present time, actually,” Matlock stated. “Took it sooner or later at a time. That’s all I actually might do, simply make it to the following day. Simply preserve transferring on.”
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Chargers’ Scott Matlock is NFL’s ultra-rare two-way participant
