Jon Sumrall was skeptical at first. Once the Kentucky Wildcats’ leading tackler, Sumrall was doing double duty as Troy University’s linebackers coach and special teams coordinator when the Trojans’ new head coach told the staff of an off-season idea he had. Sumrall thought it sounded like a homework assignment from back in his own days as a student.



“Wait. We’re going to do a book club?” Sumrall thought when Brown broke the news to his entire staff. “Man, we’re football coaches. I’m not so sure about this idea.”



It was the winter of 2015, and Sumrall had come with Brown from Kentucky when the first-time head coach was tasked with revitalizing a program that hadn’t had a winning season in five years. As much as he thought it was an odd idea — a book club for football coaches — Sumrall was a big believer in his boss.



Brown had IDed Troy’s DNA. Under his predecessor, Larry...