NATIONAL BESTSELLER A powerfully intimate, plain-spoken memoir about fathers and sons, fortitude, and football from the face and voice of college football—Kirk Herbstreit. Kirk Herbstreit is a reflection of the sport he loves, a reflection of his football-crazed home state of Ohio, where he was a high school star and Ohio State captain, and a reflection of another Ohio State football captain thirty-two years earlier: his dad Jim, who battled Alzheimer’s disease until his death in 2016. In
Out of the Pocket, Herbstreit will do what his father did for him: take you inside the locker rooms, to the practice fields, to the meeting rooms, to the stadiums. Herbstreit will describe how a combination of hard work, perseverance, and a little luck landed him on the set of ESPN’s iconic
College GameDay show, surrounded by tens of thousands of fans who treat their Saturdays like a football Mardi Gras. He’ll take you into the television production meetings, on to the
GameDay set, and into the broadcast booth. You’ll live his life during a football season, see the things he sees, experience every chaotic twist and turn as the year unfolds. Not to mention the relationships he’s established and the insights he’s learned from the likes of coaches and players such as Nick Saban, Tim Tebow, Dabo Swinney, and Peyton Manning, as well as his colleagues, including Chris Fowler, Rece Davis, and his “second dad,” the beloved Coach Lee Corso. Yes, Kirk Herbstreit is the undeniable face and voice of college football—but he’s also a survivor. He’s the quiet kid who withstood the collapse of his parents’ marriage. The boy who endured too many overbearing stepdads and stepmoms. The painfully shy student who always chose the last desk in the last row of the classroom. The young man who persevered through a frustrating Ohio State playing career. The new college graduate who turned down a lucrative sales job after college to pursue a “no way you’ll make it” dream career in broadcasting. An inspiring, gripping, and eye-opening memoir,
Out of the Pocket is the ultimate read for anyone who loves football and with a dream worth pursuing.
Out of the Pocket: Football, Fatherhood, and College GameDay Saturdays, by Kirk Herbstreit, is a captivating memoir that takes readers on a journey through the world of college football, family life, and the challenges and triumphs of pursuing a career in sports broadcasting.
Herbstreit, a renowned sportscaster and college football analyst for ESPN, offers a unique perspective on the game he loves, sharing his experiences on the sidelines, in the locker room, and on the road. He vividly recounts iconic moments from his time as a player and as a broadcaster, providing an insider's view of the sport's biggest events and the people who make it all happen.
Beyond football, Herbstreit also explores the role of fatherhood and family in his life. He candidly shares the challenges and joys of raising four children while balancing the demands of his demanding career. Herbstreit's reflections on fatherhood provide a heartwarming and relatable layer to the book, adding a personal dimension to his storytelling.
Written with honesty and humor, Out of the Pocket is a must-read for fans of college football, sports enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the intersections of family, career, and personal fulfillment. Herbstreit's engaging writing style and thought-provoking insights make this book a compelling read that will resonate with readers long after the final page is turned.
