The Genius of Desperation: The Schematic Innovations that Made the Modern NFL [Paperback]

If necessity has been the mother of invention throughout the history of professional football, it could also be said that desperation is the father. Rare are the football innovations that have occurred without an owner, general manager, coach, or player up against the wall and reaching for a way to succeed anyway. In this meticulously researched, lively book,Bleacher Reportlead NFL scout Doug Farrar traces the schematic history of the pro game through these “if this/then that” moments—paradigm shifts in the game from 1920 through the present. More than just a book about schemes and strategies,The Genius of Desperation: The Schematic Innovations that Made the Modern NFLalso tells the stories of the game’s most prominent innovators, the adversities they endured, and the ways in which they learned to exceed their own expectations on the path to true greatness. Everyone from George Halas to Greasy Neale, Paul Brown to Sid Gillman, Bill Walsh to Chip Kelly is featured, as well as many more.

“As someone who knows Paul Zimmerman well, I can tell you Dr. Z would love this book. Doug Farrar has written about this great game like he was in the gameplan sessions with Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs. Savor this book. It's a great contribution to the comprehension of a deep, deep game.” —Peter King, NBC Sports

“The best book ever written about the NFL’s on-field evolution. If you’re a football geek, this book is for you. If you’re a fan of good writing and journalism, this book is also for you.” —Mike Freeman,Bleacher Report

"An exceptional deep dive into what makes football, football." —Trey Wingo, ESPN

“I have never read a sports book that does such a seamless job of synthesizing statistics and the personalities who bring the numbers to life. In a series of vignettes that span NFL history, Farrar shows how desperatiolÃa