Bo's Lasting Lessons

Bo’s Lasting Lessons by Bo Schembechler and John U. Bacon, is a masterful book which dives into Bo Schembechler’s very heart and soul, beginning with his very early days of coaching, ending with reflections former players and Michigan coaches have of Bo and his passing last November. The entire book is written from Bo’s first person perspective and you can literally hear his gruff, moving voice as you’re reading. Riddled with timeless stories and Bo’s thoughts on various subjects, it virtually feels like your sitting down with Bo in your living room when you open this book. From recruiting tips, to teaching leadership skills, to general fundamentals of life, this book is a great read for any college or pro football fan.

“If you’re not organized, you’re a dead duck.”

The book starts off with Bo’s early days as a high school player and coach. From preparing to lead, to taking charge, to building a team, to organizing your coaching staff and recruiting players, Bo shares it all. Early on Bo talks about having to do what you love and that if you don’t love what you do, you’ll be doomed from day one. If money is all you care about, you won’t stand a chance. If you’re constantly looking for another job, you’re clearly not focusing on your current job. Don’t worry about the future, people will notice you in due time. Attempting to stand out simply to impress somebody only takes focus away from the task at hand.

“We had no weight room, no workout area, not even a place to meet - nothing - and certainly no football building.”

Bo’s early days at Michigan were quite remarkable. There were almost no football facilities on campus; in fact the team was forced to meet in a tiny cramped building near the edge of the campus in the first year Bo was there. Bo goes on to talk about how he forced everyone to adjust to him, not the other way around. One of the biggest pitfalls a coach can have is allowing his team to mold him instead of them molding to him. One of the hardest things for a new coach who’s taking over an established team to do, is to make the team his own. If he doesn’t do that, the team is done for according to Bo. The middle portion of the book goes through Bo’s thoughts on game preparation, creating leadership beneath you, motivation, and rebuilding. All while applying football thought to real world principal.

“If you’re not excited by what you’re saying, don’t expect your audience to be.”

Bo’s worst subject in high school and college was public speaking. In the latter part of the book he says it was because his teachers always forced him to write down his speeches before he spoke. Reading a script is one of the most lifeless and unmoving things you can do in Bo’s opinion. If you speak from the heart with enthusiasm, players will listen with enthusiasm which will translate to enthusiastic play on the field. Michigan’s upset of Ohio State in 1969 was considered to be one of the biggest upsets in college football history, yet Bo says going into that game he knew he was going to win. He could feel the intensity in practices, the intensity in each and every player, nobody missed a tackle all week, nobody missed a single assignment, everyone could feel the magnitude of the upcoming game and everyone pushed themselves to another level. This is football at it’s best and it’s portrayed wonderfully through this book.

“If you really want your people to perform for you, they can’t just fear you. They have to respect you, and feel a real sense of loyalty to you that goes beyond the task at hand.”

As the book concludes Bo talks about loyalty and the responsibility to look out for one another. Not only must your players fear you, they also need to have respect and loyalty for you. When a former player of Bo’s went down a slippery slope and ended up in jail, Bo would visit him, he would care, he would show that all of his players mattered to him. He showed them loyalty not only as a current or former player, but as a living person. Bo’s loyalty and care for everyone he knew was astounding.

At the very end of the book, John Bacon asked Bo: “If you could have one more week as Michigan’s head coach, in the prime of your career, what would you ask for?”

Bo didn’t have to think twice about it, “Let me be in touch with my two sons, my wife in town, then give me the week of preparation for the Ohio State game, with my former coach and rival Wayne Woodrow Hayes patrolling the other sideline. Just give me a week - from our film session on Sunday to my pre-game speech on Saturday to get our guys ready for that game against that old general on the other side of the field. That would be it.”

Overall this book is an amazing compilation of Bo Schembechler’s life. From countless stories from Bo’s coaching days, to a better understanding of this coaching legend and football history. this book is a must read for any football enthusiast out there. You’ll not only have a much better understanding of what a football coach’s job entails, you’ll have a better understanding of quite possibly the best ever college football coach to pace the sidelines, Bo Schembechler. Not only Bo Schembechler the football coach, but also Bo Schembechler the person, which in itself makes this book a highly recommended read.

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