I have been asked many times about what books people should read if they want to learn more about the history of college football. Below are what I believe to be the three best books about the subject.
They’re not the most entertaining, but they are packed full of history knowledge.
If you want to know about how football was formed in the early days without any frills or fluff, Watterson’s book is where you start. To be blunt, it is rather dry and academic, but it is an incredible reference.
I reviewed this book back in 2007, and the review is posted at my Corn Nation website.
Here are a couple excerpts from that review:
”College Football: History – Spectacle – Controversy” does not focus on games, teams, or coaches, but on the history of the game itself. The book starts with the origins of football, covering the years 1876 to 1894, and then covers early controversies – the violence of the game – which was a public concern as early as 1893.
The book isn’t for the casual college football fan, i.e. those who want romantic stories of the olden days. It’s for those who have a heavy interest in both history and college football. It is a heavy read. You won’t finish it for a while, mostly because you cannot digest that much information so quickly. But if you’re a diehard college football fan and you love history (like I do), this book is it.
It is 528 pages long in print form. That’s a lot of stuff.
Available at Amazon.
Next is The History of American Football by Allison Danzig which was published in 1956. Danzig was a well known sportswriter for The New York Times, and in this book he tracks the sport’s evolution from its rugby/soccer roots, detailing rule changes, iconic teams, and legendary figures, providing a comprehensive account of the game’s formative years through the mid-20th century.
Danzig knew many of the early coaches personally, and he details letters he received from them about the early evolution of the game. He bounces around a little bit chronologically, but like Watterson, there’s an incredible amount of information. Because of the letters, that information comes from direct sources.
The thing I find the most interesting and funny about this book is how Amos Alonzo Stagg repeatedly claims he invented pretty much everything in the early form of college football. (Stagg invented A LOT, but… well, try reading the book and let me know you think.)
Another notable book by Danzig is “Oh, how they played the game; the early days of football and the heroes who made it great“, published in 1971. Danzig profiles great players, great teams, coaches, and strategic movements.
Both books are available at the Internet Archive – History of American Football and Oh, how they played the game
Published in 1994, Anatomy of a Game by David M Nelson is an extremely important book for anyone wanting to know rules changes through the years.
This book masterfully explains the “why” behind every rule. Nelson connects each major strategic innovation, from the single wing to the wishbone, to the specific rule changes that allowed them to flourish. He details the crises, such as the violence of the early 1900s, that forced the game’s leaders to adapt and innovate.
This book is available at the Internet archive.
Others of note are books that were published by coaches or people who were close to the game.
If you want to see what early football looked like this is where you start. It includes a massive number of play diagrams from that era. The book explains the strategies behind early offensive and defensive schemes, while offering a rare glimpse into the tactical mind of one of football’s greatest pioneers – Amos Alonzo Stagg.
A word of caution – when looking at the plays at the beginning of football, I recommend you dismiss any idea of what football is supposed to look like. These plays are from BEFORE there were rules – for example – about being set before snapping the ball, and how many players were required to be on the lines.
There was no line of scrimmage at the this book was published, and plays could begin by players slugging each other.
They look like Xs and Os from an alien era because they are.
This book can be found at the Internet Archive.
This book was originally published in 1921.
John Heisman, one of the most well-known coaches in history, provides a look at football from coaching to diet to how to play the game. He not only covers football in detail, but gets into strategy, coaching, diet, and the treatment of football injuries, among other things.
Also – Heisman’s Axioms of Football. 30 rules on offense, 30 on defense, and a whole GOB of others related to passing, punting – basically Heisman’s football rules to live by.
Available at the Internet Archive.
Published in 1911, Davis’ book contains around 599 pages that include the early formation of football. Davis was on the rules committee for years, as well as being a football coach. Part of the book includes detailed accounts of early games.
Available at the Internet archive.
Glenn Warner, better known as “Pop” Warner, published this book in 1912 when he was coach of the Carlisle Indians. The book originated as a correspondence course – a method for Warner to make money AND a way for people anywhere to discover more about college football.
It was a way to spread the game.
That it was published in 1912 is significant, because rules change AT THAT EXACT TIME were very influential in bringing football into a new modern era. The forward pass was finally usable and the game was altered so it wasn’t directly killing players.
Go to the Timeline Feature and watch the videos in Early American College Football History – How Football Began.
