One Heartbeat

Book excerpt: Coming back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, the Texas Longhorns seized a victory in the 91st playing of the Rose Bowl-called the greatest Rose Bowl ever-a remarkable game that saw 16 Rose Bowl records set and three lead changes in the final five minutes! Coach Mack Brown and the Longhorns have sighted in on a return trip to Pasadena in 2006 to play for the national title. Mack Brown's One Heartbeat chronicles the life and times of this highly respected college football coach who has built winners not only at Texas, but also at North Carolina and Tulane, and built them with this undergirding philosophy: "To be successful as a team, you must bring all the parts together and play as one heartbeat." His commitment is "to win championships with nice kids who graduate." Of particular interest to coaches is the chapter entitled "Developing a Top 10 Program," concisely delineating Brown's standards for developing a top-notch and unified coaching staff and for earning players' trust and preparing them for a game or season. Says Darrell Royal in his Foreword to One Heartbeat: "It is good to see that there are still guys like Mack in the coaching business who believe in winning, doing it the right way, and leaving a piece of themselves behind so that, when they set their bucket down, they will have mattered to somebody." Written with Bill Little, award-winning sports information specialist and author, this is the essential motivational book of Mack Brown's coaching secrets, with anecdotes and inspirational essays for players, coaches, parents, and football fans of all ages. Authors BROWN and LITTLE reside in Austin, Texas.