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Backfield Package
Joe Mitchell is Hillcrest High's star quarterback. When he and his three football friends first agree to attend the same college next year and keep the backfield intact, it seems like a terrific idea to Joe. So what if the only school offering all four of them football scholarships is small and little-known Ryder State College? At least he'll get to play winning ball with his friends for four more years!
But as the football season progresses, a college scout from bigleague Randolph University appears in the stands to watch Joe play. Then a sportswriter credits him with almost single-handedly carrying Hillcrest High to its victories, and letters from top football schools start coming in. Now Joe begins to wonder if his decision to go to Ryder State just to stick with his friends was too hasty, and whether, just maybe, his first loyalty should have been to his potential. But what can he do about it now -- a promise is a promise, right?
Exciting you-are-there football action and compelling conflicts on and off the field make Backfield Package an undisputed winner.
But as the football season progresses, a college scout from bigleague Randolph University appears in the stands to watch Joe play. Then a sportswriter credits him with almost single-handedly carrying Hillcrest High to its victories, and letters from top football schools start coming in. Now Joe begins to wonder if his decision to go to Ryder State just to stick with his friends was too hasty, and whether, just maybe, his first loyalty should have been to his potential. But what can he do about it now -- a promise is a promise, right?
Exciting you-are-there football action and compelling conflicts on and off the field make Backfield Package an undisputed winner.
- GenresSports
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 1992
7 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Thomas J. Dygard
23 books11 followersIn His Own Words...
"I can't remember when I first started writing fiction. it was shortly after I began reading fiction, I'm sure.
"I've been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember. As a teenager, I read a lot of the same kinds of books I'm writing-the John R. Tunis sports stories, for example. I also read a lot of history when I was young-and I still do now. It's always fascinated me.
"When I was a high school senior, I was offered two jobs, both of the apprentice sort. One was in a commercial artist's studio, on a recommendation from my art teacher. The other was in the sports department of the local newspaper, following work on the school paper. I took the sportswriting job.
"For four years I worked for the Arkansas Gazette while attending the University of Arkansas, first at Little Rock and then at Fayetteville, covering football, baseball, basketball, boxing, golf, tennis-everything that made up the sports page. After graduation, I joined the Associated Press as a newsman at Little Rock and later worked in AP bureaus in Detroit, Birmingham, and New Orleans. Eventually, I was Chief of Bureau in Little Rock, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Tokyo, Japan. I retired from the Associated Press in 1993 and now live in Evansville, Indiana.
"For me, writing fiction is fun, relaxing, and satisfying-an enjoyable change of pace, a recharging of the batteries.
"My first young adult novel, Running Scared, got started one night in a motel room in Champaign, Illinois, when I had nothing else to do. Before long, the story had me in its grip. The creation of the thing was a fascinating experience. I liked the characters. I liked leading them through their problems to their triumphs. I kept going until one day it was finished.
"I did not set out to write for young people. Looking back, I think it was something of a blessing that 1 did not. As I wrote Running Scared, I imagined the reader as an adult, but after it was finished, it seemed more appropriate for young readers. The result, I think, was that the story did not talk down to teenagers. In every book I've written since, I've tried to keep the same approach."
"I can't remember when I first started writing fiction. it was shortly after I began reading fiction, I'm sure.
"I've been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember. As a teenager, I read a lot of the same kinds of books I'm writing-the John R. Tunis sports stories, for example. I also read a lot of history when I was young-and I still do now. It's always fascinated me.
"When I was a high school senior, I was offered two jobs, both of the apprentice sort. One was in a commercial artist's studio, on a recommendation from my art teacher. The other was in the sports department of the local newspaper, following work on the school paper. I took the sportswriting job.
"For four years I worked for the Arkansas Gazette while attending the University of Arkansas, first at Little Rock and then at Fayetteville, covering football, baseball, basketball, boxing, golf, tennis-everything that made up the sports page. After graduation, I joined the Associated Press as a newsman at Little Rock and later worked in AP bureaus in Detroit, Birmingham, and New Orleans. Eventually, I was Chief of Bureau in Little Rock, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Tokyo, Japan. I retired from the Associated Press in 1993 and now live in Evansville, Indiana.
"For me, writing fiction is fun, relaxing, and satisfying-an enjoyable change of pace, a recharging of the batteries.
"My first young adult novel, Running Scared, got started one night in a motel room in Champaign, Illinois, when I had nothing else to do. Before long, the story had me in its grip. The creation of the thing was a fascinating experience. I liked the characters. I liked leading them through their problems to their triumphs. I kept going until one day it was finished.
"I did not set out to write for young people. Looking back, I think it was something of a blessing that 1 did not. As I wrote Running Scared, I imagined the reader as an adult, but after it was finished, it seemed more appropriate for young readers. The result, I think, was that the story did not talk down to teenagers. In every book I've written since, I've tried to keep the same approach."
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 17, 2013
After reading the book Backfield Package I would strongly recommend this book. This book contains the excitement of a football season for a senior and his high school friends. It also contains the real life choices of how to further educate yourself in the world whether it is with your friends or by going solo and forging your own path into the future. My overall opinion of the book was it was great and is a must read for any athlete in a high school or even middle school sport even though it is a football themed book.
The story of this book first starts with Joe Mitchell, the star quarterback of the Hillcrest High Cardinals. Joe is a senior living in a small town with big dreams. At first Joe is excited for college knowing he will be spending his college season with his three best friends on the team: Coley, Tracy, and Lou at Ryder State. All four of them make up the "backfield package" which dominated the field and made them the team to beat in their division. But, when Joe hears of Randolph University, a major college known for its tough football team that is interested only in him he has to make the ultimate decision of going solo to college or sticking with his friends.
When his friends have sneaking suspicions he is going to pull out of the group it makes Joe's loyalty come into play and almost threatens the season. Joe is confronted with the fact that if he doesn't make amends with his teammates they will never be able to come together and win the championship game. Towards the end of the book the others finally accept Joe and his choice and end up winning the league championship. When Joe learns of his friends excepting his choice he ultimately decides to go his separate ways knowing that in the end his friends just want what is best for him.
The story of this book first starts with Joe Mitchell, the star quarterback of the Hillcrest High Cardinals. Joe is a senior living in a small town with big dreams. At first Joe is excited for college knowing he will be spending his college season with his three best friends on the team: Coley, Tracy, and Lou at Ryder State. All four of them make up the "backfield package" which dominated the field and made them the team to beat in their division. But, when Joe hears of Randolph University, a major college known for its tough football team that is interested only in him he has to make the ultimate decision of going solo to college or sticking with his friends.
When his friends have sneaking suspicions he is going to pull out of the group it makes Joe's loyalty come into play and almost threatens the season. Joe is confronted with the fact that if he doesn't make amends with his teammates they will never be able to come together and win the championship game. Towards the end of the book the others finally accept Joe and his choice and end up winning the league championship. When Joe learns of his friends excepting his choice he ultimately decides to go his separate ways knowing that in the end his friends just want what is best for him.
January 14, 2022
I read the book Backfield Package by Thomas J. Dygard. This book is about 4 friends that play football with each other and want to stick with each other after high school and play college football together but Joe got a offer from a bigger college and started to think they should split up and he should go to the bigger school.
The book is all about football and friends that want to stick together but the rest of the group doesn't know that Joe is rethinking his decision and wants to split up the group. Joe keeps his thoughts to himself and doesn't tell his friends because he wants them to get through the season and not have anything to be worried about.
Anyone that likes football should read this book because it is a good book about football and friends playing together. I liked the book because it is a fun book about football and the 4 friends that want to stick together because they were basically unstoppable in high school. The book was not confusing and someone that struggles reading things would know exactly what happened in this book. Thats why i recommend this book.
The book is all about football and friends that want to stick together but the rest of the group doesn't know that Joe is rethinking his decision and wants to split up the group. Joe keeps his thoughts to himself and doesn't tell his friends because he wants them to get through the season and not have anything to be worried about.
Anyone that likes football should read this book because it is a good book about football and friends playing together. I liked the book because it is a fun book about football and the 4 friends that want to stick together because they were basically unstoppable in high school. The book was not confusing and someone that struggles reading things would know exactly what happened in this book. Thats why i recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2019
The book that I read was Backfield Package by Thomas J. Dygard. The book was about four high school teammates that were deciding on going to one college together. They were in their senior football season and they called themselves the Backfield Package. One of the dads thought that his son shouldn't go to one college just to be with his friends. Then one of the kids got told about a bigger school that had lots of interest in having him play football for them. One thing that I learned from the book was that teamwork helps you a lot no matter what. The thing I didn't like was when they weren't telling the truth to each other the whole team fell apart. Overall I thought that the book was really good and that you could paint a picture in your head of what was going on. I recommend reading this book because it can teach you a lot about teamwork.
February 6, 2018
Joe Mitchell is Hillcrest High star quarterback. When he and his three football friends first agree to attend the same college next year and keep the backfield intact. The only school offering all four of them football scholarships is small and little-known Ryder State College. Then Letters from top football schools start coming in. Now Joe begins to wonder if his decision to go to Ryder State just to stick with his friends was too hasty. This book was very interesting and a easy read. If you like action and a good story then you’ll love this book. Every chapter was interesting and kept me reading.
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May 14, 2021i think it was very good and i liked it was a 9/10 and i like this book because i love sport books.and espessilly football books
August 3, 2025
Simple, straightforward, not much plot, slow, but lots of football action. Grades 7-12.
November 30, 2015
This book is about four boys who play football in southern Illinois at Hillcrest High and is known as the backfield package. Joe is the star quaterback and can throw the ball perfectly to any receiver, Tracy is a wide receiver who can catch any ball thrown at him but is always a step slow, Coley is the running back who can run and dodge his way out of any situation on the field but is small, and Lew can just power his way through the line and can always gain some yards. The boys are looking to win back to back championships after winning the championship the previous season and go to Ryder State College and keep the backfield package alive. As the boys prepare all season, they get destracted by Randolph University's interest in Joe that could end the backfield package. Will the backfield package win the championship and stick together or will they let the interest in colleges distract them?
This story can somewhat relate to my personal experiences. For example I have a group of friends that go over to my friends house and hangout in his basement just like Joe's friends go to Tracy's house. I also know what its like to be part of a team. I know the struggles and the hardships that comes to football. Both the backfield package and I know what its like to play High School football.
I really did enjoy this book. My favorite part of the book is when the team decides to not get distracted by the college offers and to concentrated on the championship game. I liked how the author really gave detail about the character's thoughts and feelings. The author's details made it seem like you were there and knew exactly what situations the boys were going through. It was overall just a amazing book
If you enjoy sports books and would like to know what it's like to be a star football player, then you would love this book. It gives amazing detail and exciting situations through out the book. It's a excellent book that I highly recommend.
This story can somewhat relate to my personal experiences. For example I have a group of friends that go over to my friends house and hangout in his basement just like Joe's friends go to Tracy's house. I also know what its like to be part of a team. I know the struggles and the hardships that comes to football. Both the backfield package and I know what its like to play High School football.
I really did enjoy this book. My favorite part of the book is when the team decides to not get distracted by the college offers and to concentrated on the championship game. I liked how the author really gave detail about the character's thoughts and feelings. The author's details made it seem like you were there and knew exactly what situations the boys were going through. It was overall just a amazing book
If you enjoy sports books and would like to know what it's like to be a star football player, then you would love this book. It gives amazing detail and exciting situations through out the book. It's a excellent book that I highly recommend.
May 6, 2016
The main character Joe Mitchell is very nervous when Barbara told him about Randolph University a Division 1 school Joe is very interested in asked her serious questions about him. “Seriously, they asked about me?” and “What did they say?” 28. Joe is nervous because he really wants to go to Randolph to play and for them to ask about him means that they are seriously interested. Joe is scared to tell his friends that he is seriously being scouted by Randolph University. “I can’t tell Coley, Tracy, and Lew that I’m serious about Randolph.” 87. Joe is scared because he doesn’t want to see his best friends sad or mad because of something he did. Joe is thinks that he will miss his friends when he is in college. “I can’t imagine not going to school with the backfield package.” Joe can’t see himself not going to school with his best friends. I would not recommend this book to a friend. It is not good at all.
October 7, 2016
I like the story a lot; it has different aspects that complement how the author wrote the story. I also didn't like the story because I couldn't find any figurative language which made it a little boring. The story was about sports so I would recommend this to someone who like high school football or people who like friendship type books. Joe was the main character and his 3 other friends Tracy, Coley, and Lew all plan to go to college together. Soon after his friends visit this great school and they realized that he might have closed off his options to soon because he was told he was the most wanted player list but he also didn't want to leave his friends. Soon everyone was talking about this great school and he was faced with this big decision that could either go really bad or really good but he didn't know what to do about his friends because he made a promise and he was taught to never break a promise.
November 28, 2016
This book is about four high school football players known as the "Backfield Package" said that they were all going to go to the same college, however, the quarterback of the group was "The Show" and was offered to a big school but he wouldn't be going with "the package." Throughout the story, the quarterback tries to decide what he should do.
The problem I have with the book is there isn't enough action. There should be more action like other books by the author. Another reason is that this book most likely wouldn't appear to someone who doesn't read this genre. That's why I didn't rate it a five star.
The problem I have with the book is there isn't enough action. There should be more action like other books by the author. Another reason is that this book most likely wouldn't appear to someone who doesn't read this genre. That's why I didn't rate it a five star.
October 18, 2012
This was a good book.I liked how it was about football. The group of friends tried to put college in the future to focus on the games they were playing in high school as seniors.Tracy , Coley , Lew ,and Joe had a plan where all of them were going to go to Ryder State for college. But what came ahead was bad for them Joe the,quarterback,was better than all of them and was interested in Randolph University a much better school than Ryder State. Read the book and see which one he picks.
January 17, 2011
it is pretty good so far, but then again I am only on page 6. It is about a talented quarterback who still has a lot ahead of him, but he is already planning on going to college with the same backfield that he has been with because they have been so destructive on the field. They have also won a championship. . .
February 11, 2009
This was a really good book that I read and it was about this kid that didn't know what college to go to because he wanted to go to a college with his friends but his friends didn't get accepted to the college he wanted to go to.
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May 7, 2018Good book. Ready to read some more of his books! I love sports books.
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April 4, 2019Quarterback Joe Mitchell and his tightknit backfield are leading the Hillcrest High Panthers to a second straight championship season and have promised to go on to college together. Then word spreads that a major football school is interested in Joe, and only Joe, while a newspaper article claims that he's actually carrying his team single handedly. Joe's certainty melts into confusion and doubt: Is he really that good? Should he stand by his promise, or keep his options open? Meanwhile, the shaken Panthers barely beat a weak rival and face an undefeated powerhouse for the season's last game. Joe's labored, repetitive agonizing slows the first half, but the pace picks up Dygard can always be relied on for vivid sports action, and the climactic gridiron battle is as exciting as any in sports fiction. Finally, after the Panthers lose by a whisker, Joe realizes he's made his decision, most of his friends, clearer eyed, are unsurprised. Uneven, but a strong finisher.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews