Solich - couple questions

A

ajt1970

Three-Star Recruit
Was Solich the reason Osborne retired early?  I believe from what I have read a while back, Solich wanted to pursue a head coach position, but Osborne saw him as his successor so he told Solich he would retire in 5 years and make way for Solich to take over the program (this was around 1991, I believe).  Osborne has stated before that he could have kept on coaching and did indeed miss coaching in the years following his retirement.  So if Solich had been content to stay as running backs coach, then would Osborne have still retired in 1997 or would he have continued on for at least a few more years (and perhaps more championships)?  Does anyone know how exactly this went down?  In a sense, is Solich the reason TO retired (way too early, in my opinion) from coaching?

Also, I have read many suggest transgressions on Solich's part when he got fired.  I was not up on the day to day going-ons with NU at that time.  What all did he do off-the-field that was problematic?

I have no ill-feeling towards Solich as I can definitely appreciate all that he did for NU as a player and assistant and head coach.  But I am genuinely curious about the above two things.

 
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He was a good coach but not a good recruiter.  The 7 loss season along with Pederson is what did him in.  The next season the Huskers appeared to be moving in the right direction again (10 - 3 that year) after replacing a bunch of the staff from the 7 - 7 season and he should never have been fired at that point.  The three losses were lopsided and certainly didn't help matters but I still believe the team was making progress.  

As for the improprieties, I don't know, heard some rumors and there may have been a drinking issue (DUI at Ohio).  

Pederson was the bigger problem in my opinion, he wanted to turn Nebraska football into something it was not and it turned into a disaster.  

He's had some good, not great seasons at Ohio but then again, it is Ohio and not Ohio State.

 
Here are the things I know.  

TO did promise Solich the job so he did feel obligated to retire at the end of 97 season to make way for him.  TO also felt he owed it to his wife to slow down and give her more attention.  He also thought his health was failing after the few scares he had with his heart.  Which as we know is not true.  He really wasn't that old, he was 60 when he retired.  Solich is 73 right now and still coaching.  

I think TO did regret retiring.  He is a type A personality, he got board, why do you think he ran for congress?  Why do you think he readily came back and took over being AD for what 5 years?  He likes to be busy.  I think he would have liked to have coached another 5-6 years minimum.  

As far as Solich's indiscretions where there is smoke their is usually fire.  There is probably some truth to things. Pederson and Solich didn't like each other when they were underlings so it was a bad mix when Pederson was hired.   

 
Yeah, that's basically how I remember things. TO had made the commitment of turning the reigns over to Solich, but when the time came he kind of would've liked to remain a bit longer but he honored his word and retired. IIRC, there was also a bit of drama within the staff about who should take over. Not everyone (McBride, Tenopir...maybe not these 2 but there were a couple) we're 100% on board with Solich being the heir apparent. I think a couple felt they were just as worthy and were maybe a little jilted over the deal. Likely how we ended up with Bohl and the debacle in Boulder which sealed the deal on Frankie. IDK, my memory kinda sucks.

In hindsight, I wish they would've given Frank more time to settle into the role but honestly I was done with him after sitting through that game in Boulder. He just wasn't the offensive Mastermind and playcaller that Osborne was. I think he would've got it figured out and kept the program on track but, let's face facts, nobody except a reincarnation of a combined Devaney-Lombardi-Halas-Bryant was going to satisfy Husker nation after what TO accomplished in the 90's. Next guy up had an unclimbable mountain to conquer. And we all know what happened when Pederson threw it all out the window and brought in Callahan. That, combined with poor timing on replacing Frank, absolutely  screwed this program for about 17 years.

 
There were a lot of rumors and speculation that he was gettin' it on with the coeds and drank like a fish. If you saw the guy in person you'd laugh at this characterization that he was some swinging ladies man. All I can say about the guy was that recruiting was lacking that caused the inevitable downward trend and inability to plug all the holes in the dike. He's a nice guy who is easy to like and I saw it as a Peter Principle thing combined with the retirement of key assistant coaches.

 
Didn't Tom's wife ask him to stop coaching as well?  I remember TO saying something to that effect? Anyone remember? 

As far as indiscretions, I heard several ugly things at the time as well. But I blame Pedersen.  I will always support the contention that had Frank been given one more year, and it was an awful one, then there would've been stronger grounds to dismiss him.  Again, to me it was the WAY that Pedersen fired him.  I would've rather heard that Frank had 'retired' or decided to resign instead of being 'fired'.  I know that's just semantics but I think it would've set better with many fans, myself included.  He just didn't deserve to be treated that way.  (I'll get off my soapbox now.)

 
ladyhawke said:
Didn't Tom's wife ask him to stop coaching as well?  I remember TO saying something to that effect? Anyone remember? 

As far as indiscretions, I heard several ugly things at the time as well. But I blame Pedersen.  I will always support the contention that had Frank been given one more year, and it was an awful one, then there would've been stronger grounds to dismiss him.  Again, to me it was the WAY that Pedersen fired him.  I would've rather heard that Frank had 'retired' or decided to resign instead of being 'fired'.  I know that's just semantics but I think it would've set better with many fans, myself included.  He just didn't deserve to be treated that way.  (I'll get off my soapbox now.)
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What if he was given that opportunity and wouldn't?

 
I also feel that TO was feeling emotionally battered over the media's reaction to how he handled the Lawrence Phillips assault.

 
I thought I have read TO was going to go out after ‘96, but after not winning another title he somewhat felt obligated to return in ‘97 to coach those seniors through a title - I think Wistrom and Jason Peter returning for their senior season helped influence his decision to return. 

It would be interesting to learn in-depth how this all transpired because his “promise” to Solich was before the title runs, wonder what, or if, differences took place to create and complete that dynasty run.

 
Savage Husker said:
I thought I have read TO was going to go out after ‘96, but after not winning another title he somewhat felt obligated to return in ‘97 to coach those seniors through a title - I think Wistrom and Jason Peter returning for their senior season helped influence his decision to return. 

It would be interesting to learn in-depth how this all transpired because his “promise” to Solich was before the title runs, wonder what, or if, differences took place to create and complete that dynasty run.
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I believe that this was in TO's book.  He had mentioned turing over the reins to the team in 96, but asked Frank if he could stay one more year.  Won in 1997 and didnt thing it was "right" to go back on his word.  

Frank had issues like all people do.  His biggest problem was coming in right behind a guy who had the best run ever in college football......A hard act for anyone to follow.  Carl Crawford playing baseball didn't help IMHO either.  

I'll admit.  I wanted Frank or his staff fired after the 7-7 season.  He fired some staff and came back very well the next season.  And still got fired.  I think that was BS. He made adjustments and deserved more time. With that being said, I'd like Frank to come back on campus. Get the recognition he deserves.  From playing for NU, coaching for several NC teams and then HC.  He earned it.  

 
Osborne had a quadruple bypass in the 80s and had just had some kind of cardiological diagnosis in 1997 that raised flags, so if there was any pressure from wife and family to step down, that would have been a good time to reflect. And given the chance to go out on top, the timing would have made the decision a little easier. And, as some suggest, announcing his retirement right before the NC deciding bowl game may well have tipped the coaches vote that year. 

Frank Solich loved the young ladies, and I'll bet he's insulted that some posters here didn't think he could close the deal. 

 
lo country said:
I believe that this was in TO's book.  He had mentioned turing over the reins to the team in 96, but asked Frank if he could stay one more year.  Won in 1997 and didnt thing it was "right" to go back on his word.  

Frank had issues like all people do.  His biggest problem was coming in right behind a guy who had the best run ever in college football......A hard act for anyone to follow.  Carl Crawford playing baseball didn't help IMHO either.  

I'll admit.  I wanted Frank or his staff fired after the 7-7 season.  He fired some staff and came back very well the next season.  And still got fired.  I think that was BS. He made adjustments and deserved more time. With that being said, I'd like Frank to come back on campus. Get the recognition he deserves.  From playing for NU, coaching for several NC teams and then HC.  He earned it.  
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Good info.  Which leads me to my original question - if there had been no "promise" and Solich was simply content to stay on as an assistant indefinitely (like Tenopir, Mcbride, etc.) and waited until TO REALLY wanted to retire before taking over as head coach, might NU be looking at a few more national championships with TO still at the reins in '98,'99, 2000, 2001?  That's the biggest issue I have with Solich.  His impatience with wanting to be a head coach, which lead to this promise between he and Osborne back in 1991, ultimately ended an outstanding head coaching career of the best of all time in TO.....and way too soon, in my opinion.

 
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ajt1970 said:
Good info.  Which leads me to my original question - if there had been no "promise" and Solich was simply content to stay on as an assistant indefinitely (like Tenopir, Mcbride, etc.) and waited until TO REALLY wanted to retire before taking over as head coach, might NU be looking at a few more national championships with TO still at the reins in '98,'99, 2000, 2001?  That's the biggest issue I have with Solich.  His impatience with wanting to be a head coach, which lead to this promise between he and Osborne back in 1991, ultimately ended an outstanding head coaching career of the best of all time in TO.....and way too soon, in my opinion.
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IMHO, had TO stayed on, we'd have another NC or 2 at a minimum.  He was that good and so was the talent.  

 
Osborne in many of his books said he would step aside for Frank.  Actually stayed an extra year when Wistrom, and Peter asked him to stay.

Solich went 10-3 after a staff change over.  He deserved more time unless some of these rumors are true.

You can say what you want about his record at Ohio, but they have gone to levels they had never seen before he took over. 

 
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