As part of a course that I teach at a small university in Florida, I'm offering extra credit (up to 10% of the course grade) for students to read one of two books and answer some essay questions on it. One of the books is "The Rookie" since it's got everyone's favorite young quarterback in his starting year; I teach first-year student seminars and we're starting an NCAA Division II football team this year.

Serendipity, huh? They can become junkies and earn a GRADE for it. I get to read essays about a book that I really like. Sounds perfect to me,

I was advised by others to post the questions here, in case you stumble upon folks trying to use your good nature and endless knowledge of the GFL to cheat in my class and not read the book or listen to the podcast. Shushuliks aren't standard fauna where I live and would be frowned upon in dealing with plagiarism, but I'm hoping that fan vigilance might be the next best thing.

Here's what I'll be asking. If you're in my shoes and can get either high school seniors or college first-years to read the book and do some critical thinking, then you'll make a difference. A *huge* difference. Feel free to use the questions in your own courses.

1) How does Quentin Barnes' journey during the first four games of the season parallel your own experience as a first year university student? Consider introduction to new cultures, schedules, and expectations within your new environment.

2) How does Quentin demonstrate that there is "more to quarterbacking than pure football skill" as the Tier Two season progresses? Cite at least two examples where Quentin relies upon skill off the field to serve as a leader to the Krakens.

3) "It occurred to him, suddenly and savagely, that for most of his problems he'd really had no one to blame but himself all along." Describe the series of events that lead Quentin to this realization. It is really a situation for which he is wholly responsible? Why or why not?

4) Consider Donald Pine's actions towards Quentin prior to the revelation of Pine's "agreement" with Mopuk the Sneaky. In light of what you know regarding the playing ability and team longevity of both quarterbacks, does it seem logical for Pine to help Quentin improve his game and team rapport? Why or why not? Give examples to support your answer.

5) Yassoud Murphy, John Tweedy, and Virak the Mean are three of several players whose off-field interactions contribute to Quentin's growth during his rookie season with the Krakens. Their behavior is markedly different than that of Rick Warburg, the only other Purist Nation player on the team. Describe how Quentin evolves as a member of the Krakens through his time with Yassoud, John, and Virak. How would the success of the season have been affected if Quentin had stuck with the advice of Rick Warburg? Why do you think the more multifaceted experience brought Quentin more success?