Table of Content
Sample Contents: Outline/Contents Chapter 1 Cautionary Tale: Marcus Dupree Marcus Dupree was one of the most highly recruited high school football players in history. Dupree was so heavily recruited that Willie Morris wrote a book about his recruiting called The Courtship of Marcus Dupree. He had every physical tool necessary for success, but after a falling out with coaches at Oklahoma after his sophomore year, he signed, at 19, with the USFL's Portland Breakers and became a millionaire. Severe knee injuries ended his pro career, however, before it began, and after a short stint with the Rams in 1990, Dupree was out of football forever. Chapter 2 - Punt Returner: Ted Ginn, Ohio State All-American What does it feel like to stand underneath a punt, spiraling downward, while eleven defenders running full speed converge in your direction? I'll field practice punts with All-American and top punt return man, Ted Ginn, at Ohio State University who is a Heisman candidate and future NFL star. Chapter 3 - Recruiting Coordinator: Mike McQueary, Penn State How does it feel to spend the majority of the year on the road, staying in hotels and making your sales pitch in the living rooms of 17 year old athletes? I'll speak with the man who revitalized the Nittany Lions by landing a top-flight recruiting class that made Joe Pa relevant again. Chapter 4 Superagent: Leigh Steinberg Leigh Steinberg is the man you don't see just out of the shot as the number one draft choice holds up his jersey and poses for photos. The real-life Jerry McGuire, Steinberg has carved out a niche as the agent of choice for college stars. We'll discuss his start in the business, recruitment of athletes, as well as how sports culture has changed over the years as the dollars have gotten bigger. Chapter 5 - Heisman Candidate: Brady Quinn, Notre Dame In this chapter I'll converse with a modern-day golden boy Notre Dame's Brady Quinn who has led the once-hallowed program back to prominence under the tutelage of Charlie Weis. We'll discuss the pressures of Heisman candidacy, and the pressure of carrying on a Notre Dame quarterbacking legacy including the likes of Montana and Theismann. Chapter 6 - Draft Guru: Mel Kiper Jr. What's it like to spend your life watching hour upon hour of film on draft-eligible college players? This discussion, with the first and foremost guru of the NFL draft, will cover his modest beginnings, his big break with ESPN, and what it's like to make college football your life, 365 days per year. Chapter 7 - Walk-On: Jeff Kastl, QB, University of Michigan How does it feel to be the player that nobody knows? The practice player who spends each day getting pounded in practice, just for the privilege of suiting up and watching from the sidelines on Saturday afternoons? We'll catch up with these athletes, who had the chance to be stars at smaller schools, but who chose to roll the dice (and forego scholarship money) at a big time program. Chapter 8 Transfer: Loren Howard, DE, Arizona State What's it like to change schools mid-career, sit out a season, and then try to come back and be as effective as you were before? Howard, an All-Big Ten player at Northwestern, did just that switching to Arizona State mid-career. I'll find out what it's like to change campuses, manipulate class schedules, and assimilate with teammates at a new school. Chapter 9 - Smaller-School Standout: Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan, Consensus All-American Bazuin, who has all the physical tools necessary for physical stardom, eschewed Michigan and Michigan State to become a star at Central Michigan, a Mid-American
