August 1, 2017
Arians spent 18 years coaching at four universities and 20 more with five National Football League (NFL) teams before becoming head coach, at age 61, of the Arizona Cardinals in 2013. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a maverick with a talent for shaping young quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Andrew Luck. Arians's mantra for both life and football is "No risk it; No biscuit." In his first book, he emphasizes the importance of building team trust, caring, and confidence. The story of his life, told here with coauthor Anderson (Carlisle vs. Army), uses the chronology of his lengthy career as a framework, with other significant experiences mixed in. The mostly first-person narrative combines the coach's voice with occasional quotes from his wife, Christine, and various quarterbacks. Arians also details what he looks for in a quarterback and how he aims to call a game, but employs little X-and-O specifics. VERDICT A solid biography of an offbeat character that will intrigue any professional football fan.
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