The Perfect Pass : American Genius and the Reinvention of Football

**An “excellent sports history” (__Publishers Weekly__) in the tradition of Michael Lewis’s __Moneyball__, award-winning historian S.C. Gwynne tells the incredible story of how two unknown coaches revolutionized American football at every level, from high school to the NFL.** Hal Mumme spent fourteen mostly losing seasons coaching football before inventing a potent passing offense that would soon shock players, delight fans, and terrify opposing coaches. It all began at a tiny, overlooked college called Iowa Wesleyan, where Mumme was head coach and Mike Leach, a lawyer who had never played college football, was hired as his offensive line coach. In the cornfields of Iowa these two mad inventors, drawn together by a shared disregard for conventionalism and a love for Jimmy Buffett, began to engineer the purest, most extreme passing game in the 145-year history of football. Implementing their “Air Raid” offense, their teams—at Iowa Wesleyan and later at Valdosta State and the University of Kentucky—played blazingly fast—faster than any team ever had before, and they routinely beat teams with far more talented athletes. And Mumme and Leach did it all without even a playbook. “A superb treat for all gridiron fans” (__Kirkus Reviews__, starred review), __The Perfect Pass__ S.C. Gwynne explores Mumme’s leading role in changing football from a run-dominated sport to a pass-dominated one, the game that tens of millions of Americans now watch every fall weekend. Whether you’re a casual or ravenous football fan, this is “a rousing tale of innovation” (__Booklist__), and “Gwynne’s book ably relates the story of that innovation and the successes of the man who devised it” (__New York Journal of Books__). A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Year In the tradition of Michael Lewiss Moneyball , award-winning historian S.C. Gwynne tells the incredible story of how two unknown coaches revolutionized American football at every level, from high school to the NFL. Hal Mumme is one of a handful of authentic offensive geniuses in the history of American football. The Perfect Pass is the story of how he irreverently destroyed and re-created the game. Mumme spent fourteen mostly losing seasons coaching football before inventing a potent passing offense that would soon shock players, delight fans, and terrify opposing coaches. The revolution he fomented began at a tiny, overlooked college called Iowa Wesleyan, where Mumme was head coach and Mike Leach, a lawyer who had never played college football, was hired as his offensive line coach. In the cornfields of Iowa, while scribbling plays on paper napkins, these two mad inventors, drawn together by a shared disregard for conventionalism and a love for Jimmy Buffett, began to engineer the purest, most extreme passing game in the 145-year history of football. Implementing their Air Raid offense, their teamsat Iowa Wesleyan and later at Valdosta State and the University of Kentuckyplayed blazingly fastfaster than any team ever had before, and they routinely beat teams with far more talented athletes. And Mumme and Leach did it all without even a playbook. Their quarterback once completed sixty-one of eighty-six passes, both collegiate records. In The Perfect Pass , S.C. Gwynne explores Mummes leading role in changing football from a run-dominated sport to a pass-dominated one, the game that tens of millions of Americans now watch every fall weekend. Whether youre a casual or ravenous football fan, this is a truly compelling story of American ingenuity and how a set of revolutionary ideas made their way from the margins into the hot center of the game we celebrate today. An “excellent sports history” ( Publishers Weekly ) in the tradition of Michael Lewis’s Moneyball , award-winning historian S.C. Gwynne tells the incredible story of how two unknown coaches revolutionized American football at every level, from high school to the NFL. Hal Mumme spent fourteen mostly losing seasons coaching football before inventing a potent passing offense that would soon shock players, delight fans, and terrify opposing coaches. It all began at a tiny, overlooked college called Iowa Wesleyan, where Mumme was head coach and Mike Leach, a lawyer who had never played college football, was hired as his offensive line coach. In the cornfields of Iowa these two mad inventors, drawn together by a shared disregard for conventionalism and a love for Jimmy Buffett, began to engineer the purest, most extreme passing game in the 145-year history of football. Implementing their “Air Raid” offense, their teams—at Iowa Wesleyan and later at Valdosta State and the University of Kentucky—played blazingly fast—faster than any team ever had before, and they routinely beat teams with far more talented athletes. And Mumme and Leach did it all without even a playbook. “A superb treat for all gridiron fans” ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review), The Perfect Pass S.C. Gwynne explores Mumme’s leading role in changing football from a run-dominated sport to a pass-dominated one, the game that tens of millions of Americans now watch every fall weekend. Whether you’re a casual or ravenous football fan, this is “a rousing tale of innovation” ( Booklist ), and “Gwynne’s book ably relates the story of that innovation and the successes of the man who devised it” ( New York Journal of Books ). New York Times Bestselling, Award-winning Historian S.c. Gwynne Tells The Incredible Story Of How Hal Mumme And Mike Leach--two Unknown Coaches Who Revolutionized American Football In The 1980s, 1990s And 2000s--changed The Way The Game Is Played At Every Level, From High School To The Nfl-- The Mad Pirate's Revenge -- A Job You Wouldn't Want -- A Brief History Of Men Throwing Balls -- Secrets Of The Air -- Ballad Of The Lonesome Polecat -- Of Mouse And Mormons -- Maybe The Worst Team In America -- The Future Does Not Exist -- A Convocation Of Rejects -- Hal's Theory Of Relativity -- The Air Show Comes To Town -- The One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Pass -- No Good Deed Unpunished -- Bumps In The Road -- Pilgrimage To Margaritaville -- Rise Of A Great American Offense -- The Street Value Of An Aerial Circus -- Air Raid -- High, Wide, And Handsome -- Stars In Their Courses -- Epilogue: The Game Changes. S. C. Gwynne. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 273-275) And Index. "New York Times bestselling, award-winning historian S.C. Gwynne tells the incredible story of how Hal Mumme and Mike Leach -- two unknown coaches who revolutionized American football in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s -- changed the way the game is played at every level, from high school to the NFL"-- Provided by publisher