These books have had a powerful influence on my coaching career; most of them are out of print so you have get them either on EBay or a garage sale etc. But these are well worth the search. Good ideas are never out-dated. The Split Line T Offense by Jake Gaither. This was my early [...]

Tony Dungy’s success on the football field is well documented. He led the Colts to a Super Bowl victory, turned around the hapless Tampa Bucs and has been a positive influence on everyone he’s been around. Tony has absorbed some hits professionally like being unjustly fired at Tampa Bay but the biggest blow was losing [...]

Nick Saban has been a highly successful “turnaround” artist. Turning around a college football program is arguably the most difficult challenge in coaching. Added to the challenge is the impatience in our society with the process. We want instant results. As great a coach as John Wooden was, he might not have had the chance [...]

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a modern classic and ranks up there with all the great self-help books ever written. The book was written in 1989 and has been on every bestseller list since. Stephen Covey presents a simple no nonsense approach to becoming more effective in your life. I not only [...]

Spencer Johnson is one of my favorite writers of allegories, he wrote the best seller Who Moved My Cheese which is also certainly worth reading. But The Present is a great summer read, the type of book you can take to the beach and breeze through it and really get positive vibes. The Present is [...]

Lou Holtz was the master of the turnaround. In his career as a college football coach he directed the turnaround of SIX programs! Six times Holtz took over a floundering football program and led it to wins, bowl games, national rankings and even National Championships. There is no greater challenge in college coaching than bringing [...]

In 1974 I had just started my coaching career and had one year under my belt. I attended a Coaching clinic in Wildwood, New Jersey. I went to hear Lou Holtz speak on the Split Back Veer and Barry Switzer to speak on the Wishbone. But during Coach Holtz’s presentation he recommended 2 books that [...]

Jim Tressel was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He came up through the ranks of college football via hard work. His Dad, Lee Tressel was a legend at Baldwin Wallace University and coached BW to a national championship in 1978. Jim & his Dad are the only Father/Son combo to accomplish [...]

John Wooden is arguably one of the greatest coaches of any sport in the history of sport in this country. Winning 10 NCAA Championships in 12 years is a greatness that may never be equaled. He won with super stars like Lew Alcindor aka Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bill Walton, but he also won with [...]

The word genius is one of the most over used words in football, but when talking about Homer Smith it is very appropriate. Homer Smith has knowledge of football that would qualify him to be called a “Master of the Game” which is the highest compliment I can give. Homer has 40 years of experience [...]