football books, suggestions?

R

Rusk

250+ Posts
I am looking for a good football book. I don't want a book that is about people involved with football, like Friday Night Lights, but I was looking for something more technical. A book that talks about offensive and defensive theory and different types of techniques and things of that sort. More of a coaching book I guess.

Anyone know any good ones?
 
What are you interested in? Offense? Defense? Or maybe you want to take a look at a specific position like linebacker or widereceiver?

There is a lot of stuff out there. The big book stores like Barnes & Nobles usually as a small section of stuff. Also the PCL at UT has some older stuff you can check out.
 
Anything that is good. It doesn't really matter. I guess I would prefer a larger overview of an entire offense or defense, not just one position.
 
Two fairly readable books are by Brian Billick and Fritz Shurmur. Shurmur's book is titled "Coaching Team Defense". I don't recall the exact title of Billick's book, but it's something along the lines of "Offensive Strategies". Both can get pretty detailed, but also contain good overview material on various components of play, if that more suits your interests.
 
Phx--I saw the Billick book before, looked pretty good. Any suggestion for a QB positional book? More about technique and common read responsibilities than a general offensive overview.
 
DIMYH, other than being an "armchair" QB, that position holds relatively limited interest for me. I don't recall, in my literature searches, seeing any books specifically devoted to that position, but that doesn't mean some aren't out there.

Almost any book that discusses offensive strategies, however, will devote some amount of text to the responsibilities of the QB. The issue seems to be that the discussion tends to the superficial, or else gets far more detailed than my interest levels.

Kevin, I've got Theisman's book and it's actually not bad. It falls very much into the "overview" category and is oriented to the pro game, but it still offers some useful information.
 
Since tv commentators, game analysts, radio talk show bull, etc. all refer to specific aspects of the game that only players and coaches can fully understand, I don't know why someone hasn't written an "NFL for Dummies" by now.

I'd just like to see a primer that allows me to appreciate any discussion or speculation on how to play the game, or possibly play the game. To date, televised games assumed the entire viewing audience knows the complete game of football, including terminology. Not so.
 
Well I went to Barnes and Noble and picked up a book called Defensive Football Strategies, by the American Football Coaches Association. Around 90 coaches contributed to the book. It looks pretty interesting.
 
Just read this BBS -- all the expert opinions and game plans one could possibly need are provide for free on a daily basis.
 
Roy4: While I was at Barnes and Noble I actually saw that there is a "Football for Dummies". Howie Long and some other guy (I'm assuming a real writer) wrote it. I skimmed over it, but I was looking for something a little more advanced.
 
Rusk,
I forgot the title of an excellent book on the West Coast offense. I bought it at Amazon.com. Look at the reviews of the books on the West Coast offense and this particular book gets incredible reviews from coaches.

The Fritz Shurmer book is a must read.

Those are my two suggestions.
 
Rusk -

"Pigskin Pulpit" by Dr. Ty Cashion. He's a good friend of mine. He is currently a history professor at Sam Houston State. The book focuses on the "religion" that football is in Texas. It debates whether or not the effects of our love for the sport is a good thing or bad. It is very well written and includes great high school stuff. The book is forwarded by Bum Phillips, and includes interviews with Texas football legends from both high school and college. You can buy it at any major bookstore for about $15.00.
 
North Dallas Forty or Semi-Tough.

For fun not facts.

"The truth is always stranger than fiction, fiction has to make sense." Mark Twain.
 
A great place to go would be to find a coaching clinic somewhere. They always have tons of books on different aspects of the games there. There is the Nike clininc coming up in a week or two in dallas which is excellent. They always have some great coaches that speak about different parts of the game.
 
"Bootlegger's Boy" by Barry Switzer.
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For the mind game of football - "The Essential Vince Lombardi : Words & Wisdom to Motivate, Inspire, and Win."

I did a little coaching of offense for kids and liked "Football's Best Offensive Playbook" by Dwight Dee Hawkes. Its not really a playbook you could run, but more of a guidebook to which formations might work for your situation. All of the American Football Coaches Association books are good for basic plays.
 
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