Literary Las Vegas: Matthew William Nighswonger

Matthew William Nighswonger was football and wrestling team captain at East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, and then served as team captain and MVP while playing for Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, and for Idaho State University in Pocatello.

After college, he taught for three years in Japan and nine months in Canada and now works as a teacher and coach in Las Vegas.

Nighswonger turned to his gridiron experience to write the novel "Down, Set, Hut: The Untold Story of College Football," a look at the impact the game has on players, coaches and families.

Excerpt:

Charlie instantly saw stars, his jaw popped, feeling like it had been dislocated, and his ear felt like blood was coming out of it. He couldn't stop, though. He knew the running back would be right behind him. He drove his feet and tried to move the defender out of the hole. It was no use. Tacklers from every direction converged and the pile quickly formed around Charlie. He didn't want to end up on the bottom again and be subject to another blow, so he kept driving his feet with every ounce of energy left. He ended up on top of somebody when the whistle was finally blown.