Carson Tinker was an average college student. Until he wasn't. He was the long snapper on the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He went to class, studied hard, practiced hard and played football every Saturday. On April 27, 2011, an EF4 tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, home of the Crimson Tide. The damage was devastating, but for Carson the damage was a lot worse: his girlfriend, Ashely Harrison, and their two dogs, perished in the storm.

A Season to Remember is Carson's memoir about overcoming adversity. His faith allowed him to persevere during his darkest hour. Carson writes movingly about allowing his faith to guide him and becoming the face of the football team, who became the face of a city. And as luck (or fate, destiny, or faith) should have it, the Crimson Tide won the national championship that year, in honor of the destroyed city and giving hope to thousands of people.

Carson's work is deeply moving. Moreover, it highlights the biggest (and least discussed) aspects of college football: despite all the money, media and hype, there are 18- and 19-year-old children playing football, going to college for an education. Carson's book is a sobering reminder that life is more important than a game. ( )