The Essential Smart Football (Paperback)

"The Essential Smart Football" is an examination of football's most important strategies and ideas, through the lens of the game's best coaches, players, and schemes. Brilliantly written and eschewing unnecessary jargon and technicality, it makes a major contribution to our understanding of football to help all of us -- coaches, players, and fans -- appreciate the game we love all the more.

"The Essential Smart Football" features analysis of football's top strategists and their schemes, including:

Urban Meyer's spread offense Tom Brady's no-huddle attack Bill Belichick's hybrid defense Gus Malzahn's up-tempo offense Charlie Strong's defensive evolution Mike Leach's pass-happy "Air Raid" The most popular scheme for running the ball in the NFL Nick Saban's school of defense.

The book also includes explorations of modern approaches to the West Coast Offense, evolutions in defensive fronts and coverages, the changing role of the running game in spread and pro-style offenses, and much more.

"Buy this book if you love football."
-- Gregg Rosenthal, Senior Editor, NFL.com

" Chris Brown] has put together a book that you need to buy if you're a football fan with a pulse."
-- Bill Barnwell, Staff Writer, Grantland

"I'm a better coach after reading this book. A must have in every coach's library "
-- Dub Maddox, Offensive Coordinator, Jenks High School, Jenks, Oklahoma (12x Oklahoma State champions)

"Accessibly erudite."
-- New York Magazine

"If you're a football geek, this is a mandatory purchase."
-- Doug Farrar, Yahoo Sports

"Advanced stats are great, but they mean a lot more when you understand where the players are moving on the field and why. Nobody has taught me more about where the players are moving on the field and why than Chris Brown."
-- Aaron Schatz, founder of FootballOutsiders.com, columnist for ESPN.com/ESPN the Magazine

"Must-have new book for any football fan."
-- Dan Shanoff, Quickish.com