Endzone

Book excerpt: The paperback version of Endzone includes an all-new, 57-page Afterword covering Michigan's triumphant 2015 season, and never-dull 2016 off-season. Informed by exclusive, in-depth interviews with Jake Rudock, Blake O'Neill, Jake Butt, Jim and Sarah Harbaugh and his parents, the Afterword addresses the players' initial shock at Harbaugh's long practices, their renewed confidence, and the story behind the stunning finish to the Michigan State game, the Wolverines' comebacks against Minnesota and Indiana, and their Citrus Bowl victory over Florida. It also goes a long way to answering the question on everyone's mind: How long will Harbaugh stay in Ann Arbor? Bestselling author John U. Bacon's Endzone tells the story of how college football's most successful, richest and respected program almost lost all three in less than a decade - and entirely of its own doing. It is a story of hubris, greed, and betrayal - a tale more suited to Wall Street than the world's top public university. Endzone takes you inside the offices, the board rooms and the locker rooms of the University of Michigan Wolverines to see what happened, and why - with countless eye-opening, head-shaking scenes of conflict and conquest. But Endzone is also an inspiring story of redemption and revival. When those who loved Michigan football the most recognized it was being attacked from within, they rallied to reclaim the values that made it great for over a century -- values that went deeper than dollars. The list of heroes includes players, students, lettermen, fans and faculty - and the leaders who had the courage to listen to them. Their unprecedented uprising produced a new athletic director, and a new coach - the hottest in the land - who vindicated the fans' faith when he turned down more money and fame to return to the place he loved most: Michigan. If you love a good story, you'll want to dive into Endzone: The Rise, Fall and Return of Michigan Football.