Football For Players and Coaches by Glenn S. Warner stands as one of the most influential instructional texts in college football history. Originally published in 1912, this comprehensive guide was written by the legendary Pop Warner during his tenure at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, where he coached future Hall of Famer Jim Thorpe.
The book originated as a correspondence course designed for individuals who had never played or even witnessed a football game. This unique approach meant Warner explained every fundamental aspect of the sport, from basic equipment acquisition to advanced offensive strategies. The timing of publication proved significant, as Warner wrote Football For Players and Coaches shortly after two transformative rule changes defined modern American football: the legalization of the forward pass and the requirement to advance ten yards in four downs.
Warner’s instructional masterpiece covers essential topics including player outfitting, training methods, injury treatment, tackling techniques, blocking fundamentals, and punting mechanics. The guide dedicates chapters to every position on the field, teaching readers how to play end, tackle, guard, center, quarterback, halfback, and fullback. Additional sections address offensive systems, defensive strategies, signal calling, and overall football generalship.
What makes Football For Players and Coaches particularly valuable is its introduction of innovations that Warner pioneered. The book documents early versions of the single-wing and double-wing formations that would revolutionize offensive football. Warner also detailed the screen pass, spiral punt, and protective equipment including shoulder and thigh pads that became standard throughout the sport.
Photographs featuring Carlisle players and equipment, including an all-wood blocking sled, provide historical documentation of early twentieth-century football training methods.
Football For Players and Coaches by Glenn S. Warner remains essential reading for historians and coaches interested in understanding how modern football strategy and instruction evolved from this coaching pioneer’s systematic approach to teaching the game.
