Solich may have new job..

[Blackshirt]

Good for Frank. and Army!

 

Big score for Army

Source: Ex-Huskers coach Solich coming to Point

 

By Justin Rodriguez

Times Herald-Record

jrodriguez@th-record.com

 

West Point – Former Nebraska coach Frank Solich could be named Army's next football coach as early as today, the Times Herald-Record has learned.

According to a source close to the team, preparations have been made at West Point to announce one of the most successful incoming coaches in Academy history.

Solich, 59, was fired by Nebraska last week, but not until he led the Cornhuskers to a 58-19 record across six seasons.

Superintendent Lt. Gen. William Lennox has craved a Division I-A coach with name recognition. Solich certainly fits that bill. He led Nebraska to the national title game in 2001, losing to Miami 37-14 in the Rose Bowl.

Solich took over for coaching legend Tom Osborne at Nebraska on Dec. 10, 1997. Osborne is on the advisory panel that Lennox put together last year to evaluate the struggling program.

It's unclear when Solich was interviewed, but two other leading candidates – Division I-AA Western Illinois coach Don Patterson, a 1973 West Point graduate, and Maryland offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe – have yet to be contacted.

Nebraska was 9-3 when athletic director Steve Pederson fired Solich. The Black Knights, 0-12 this season, have won just eight games since the start of the 1999 season.

Solich has said he wanted to return to coaching quickly. His name has been mentioned to fill the vacancy at Cincinnati. Army probably had to throw extra money at Solich, but keep in mind that Nebraska bought out his contract, which runs through 2006, for $786, 693. The terms of Solich's deal with Army are unknown.

Solich gives Army instant credibility with recruits, fans and alumni. Interim coach John Mumford and most, if not all of his staff, are expected to be relieved of their duties upon Solich's signing.

Planning such a move so close to tomorrow's Army-Navy game is unique. But Army-Navy is a nationally televised game with media attending from all over the country. Army could use the positive press.

There hasn't been a lot of that going around West Point this fall. Lennox canned Todd Berry on Oct. 13 after he went 5-35 in three-plus seasons. Army is one loss from becoming the first team in NCAA history to go 0-13.

The Black Knights have lost a school-record 14 in a row, the longest streak in the nation. Solich took over a stacked program at Nebraska. Now, he has the challenge of rebuilding one.

Nebraska runs the option, something Berry scrapped for a spread offense when he took over for Bob Sutton in December of 1999. Many fans and former players want to see the option return.

The buzz around West Point yesterday was that an announcement could be made late in the afternoon. It never happened. But sources close to the team said it was a weird day at West Point.

"A lot of closed-door stuff," said one source. "People who usually are around weren't. Something's up."