Brian M. Ingrassia, assistant professor of American history, Middle Tennessee State University
Ingrassia has previously taught at Georgia State University and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. In Ingrassia’s book, he examines the early football programs at universities like the University of Michigan, Stanford University, The Ohio State University, and others and then puts those histories in the context of Progressive Era culture, including insights from coaches like Georgia Tech’s John Heisman and Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne.
The Rise of Gridiron University shows us where and how it all began, highlighting college football’s essential role in shaping the modern university—and by extension, American intellectual culture.
An alumni reception and book signing will follow the lecture.