The Season

S2 E22: The team searches for college football coach Jim Cooper (Tim DeKay - CarnivÃle), who goes missing after being terminated for his team's unusually dismal season performance. The investigation soon uncovers that the coach's new policy of suspending players for academic and behavioral missteps caused the football team to repeatedly play without its star athletes and to suffer frequent defeats. As a result, Jack and his squad suspect a group of angry players, members of the school administration and a seamy high-stakes gambler--all of whom encountered financial losses as a result of the losing streak. Meanwhile, Jack must make a difficult career and life decision when his wife, Maria (recurring guest star Talia Balsam - L.A. Doctors), surprises him with her strong desire to relocate their family to Chicago, where she was just offered an excellent job. Tim Matheson (The West Wing, Animal House) directed the episode.