For all who loved Frank Solich

[gamecocks]

1. I guess I dont recall that. I remember JL getting on the Texans practice squad. Didnt Davis play as a kick returner for the Seahawks? Williams to the Falcons, other than that, I cant recall any Huskers that made NFL teams, even though Im sure Im missing someone.

Trevor Johnson made it for the Jets, he played quite a bit this season.

TJ Hollowell made it with the Giants.

Bingham made it with the Chargers, but he got hurt before the season and was on IR the whole year.

Kyle Larson was the Bengals punter the whole season.

Demorrio Williams played a big part in the Falcons defensive dominance.

Jammal Lord ended up on the 53 man roster for the Texans by the end of the season.

Jerrell Pippens made the Chargers team and was great on special teams.

Pat Ricketts just missed the final cut with the Falcons( )

 

You missed more than "someone". ESPN.com is a cool site, you should check it out sometime

All of those guys made pro teams and contributed but yet we had the same team (says some people) that we did a year ago. Wow. I don't see how losing eight players to the pros is the same team and that is not counting the players that graduated and didn't go pro or didn't make it.

[formerfan]

1. I guess I dont recall that. I remember JL getting on the Texans practice squad. Didnt Davis play as a kick returner for the Seahawks? Williams to the Falcons, other than that, I cant recall any Huskers that made NFL teams, even though Im sure Im missing someone.

Trevor Johnson made it for the Jets, he played quite a bit this season.

TJ Hollowell made it with the Giants.

Bingham made it with the Chargers, but he got hurt before the season and was on IR the whole year.

Kyle Larson was the Bengals punter the whole season.

Demorrio Williams played a big part in the Falcons defensive dominance.

Jammal Lord ended up on the 53 man roster for the Texans by the end of the season.

Jerrell Pippens made the Chargers team and was great on special teams.

Pat Ricketts just missed the final cut with the Falcons( )

 

You missed more than "someone". ESPN.com is a cool site, you should check it out sometime

All of those guys made pro teams and contributed but yet we had the same team (says some people) that we did a year ago. Wow. I don't see how losing eight players to the pros is the same team and that is not counting the players that graduated and didn't go pro or didn't make it.

Eight players with pro team, yet FS didnt recruit any talent??????

 

Which way is it?

[DJR313]

1. I guess I dont recall that. I remember JL getting on the Texans practice squad. Didnt Davis play as a kick returner for the Seahawks? Williams to the Falcons, other than that, I cant recall any Huskers that made NFL teams, even though Im sure Im missing someone.

Trevor Johnson made it for the Jets, he played quite a bit this season.

TJ Hollowell made it with the Giants.

Bingham made it with the Chargers, but he got hurt before the season and was on IR the whole year.

Kyle Larson was the Bengals punter the whole season.

Demorrio Williams played a big part in the Falcons defensive dominance.

Jammal Lord ended up on the 53 man roster for the Texans by the end of the season.

Jerrell Pippens made the Chargers team and was great on special teams.

Pat Ricketts just missed the final cut with the Falcons( )

 

You missed more than "someone". ESPN.com is a cool site, you should check it out sometime

All of those guys made pro teams and contributed but yet we had the same team (says some people) that we did a year ago. Wow. I don't see how losing eight players to the pros is the same team and that is not counting the players that graduated and didn't go pro or didn't make it.

Eight players with pro team, yet FS didnt recruit any talent??????

 

Which way is it?

Well, Williams is the only star of those playing. None of the others are starters. I will say this, although these players are not major contributors and immense talents, they must have a great work ethic if they are able to beat out some guys that teams have wasted draft picks on. This doesn't compare to Miami losing 8 players last year though, most of them are starting and big contributers on their teams now. That's the difference between good players and great players. Either Solich could recruit talent, or he couldn't coach. Which is it?

[formerfan]

1. I guess I dont recall that. I remember JL getting on the Texans practice squad. Didnt Davis play as a kick returner for the Seahawks? Williams to the Falcons, other than that, I cant recall any Huskers that made NFL teams, even though Im sure Im missing someone.

Trevor Johnson made it for the Jets, he played quite a bit this season.

TJ Hollowell made it with the Giants.

Bingham made it with the Chargers, but he got hurt before the season and was on IR the whole year.

Kyle Larson was the Bengals punter the whole season.

Demorrio Williams played a big part in the Falcons defensive dominance.

Jammal Lord ended up on the 53 man roster for the Texans by the end of the season.

Jerrell Pippens made the Chargers team and was great on special teams.

Pat Ricketts just missed the final cut with the Falcons( )

 

You missed more than "someone". ESPN.com is a cool site, you should check it out sometime

All of those guys made pro teams and contributed but yet we had the same team (says some people) that we did a year ago. Wow. I don't see how losing eight players to the pros is the same team and that is not counting the players that graduated and didn't go pro or didn't make it.

Eight players with pro team, yet FS didnt recruit any talent??????

 

Which way is it?

Well, Williams is the only star of those playing. None of the others are starters. I will say this, although these players are not major contributors and immense talents, they must have a great work ethic if they are able to beat out some guys that teams have wasted draft picks on. This doesn't compare to Miami losing 8 players last year though, most of them are starting and big contributers on their teams now. That's the difference between good players and great players. Either Solich could recruit talent, or he couldn't coach. Which is it?

Funny, even though alot of you like to speak badly of him, the last I checked, he won 75% of his games, went 10-3 last year, went to bowls every year, won 1 Big 12 Champ., played in 2 BCS games, won 2 Coach of the year awards, so I dont think that his coaching ability was all that bad.

 

And this year, 5-6?

[DaveH]

Funny, even though alot of you like to speak badly of him, the last I checked, he won 75% of his games, went 10-3 last year, went to bowls every year, won 1 Big 12 Champ., played in 2 BCS games, won 2 Coach of the year awards, so I dont think that his coaching ability was all that bad.

 

And this year, 5-6?

A pure records comparison all but fair at this point. When Callahan has been head coach here as long as Solich was head coach, then it would be IMO.

 

Is coaching ability purely judged on wins and losses?

[formerfan]

Funny, even though alot of you like to speak badly of him, the last I checked, he won 75% of his games, went 10-3 last year, went to bowls every year, won 1 Big 12 Champ., played in 2 BCS games, won 2 Coach of the year awards, so I dont think that his coaching ability was all that bad.

 

And this year, 5-6?

A pure records comparison all but fair at this point. When Callahan has been head coach here as long as Solich was head coach, then it would be IMO.

 

Is coaching ability purely judged on wins and losses?

I think that you present a great question. I would say that great coaching is getting the most out of what you have (FS in 2003), getting players to play above their respective skills (TO many, many times), great game plans (notice NE Pats, or McBride in the 96 Fiesta Bowl), and putting players in positions to make plays. You also have to have certain intangibles like the ability to read other coaches and motivate their players, just to name a few.

 

But, just like a major corporation CEO, there is a bottom line-wins and losses. The 2004 team (especially with their terribly weak schedule) was not a 5-6 team, there is no way you can convince me that they were. In all of the areas that I have mentioned, the 2004 staff failed horribly, they didnt plan well, didnt put the right players in positions to make plays, didnt motivate, didnt get their players to max out (or play above) their potential. Add it all up and the bottom line is that they went 5-6.

 

If you really feel that this staff excelled in any area (outside of recruiting, maybe) then I would be interested in hearing it.

[IndyHusker]

I agree that BC should be given time, hes here and more changes will cause more termoil and uncertainty. IMO FS should have been given at least one more year after improving from his previous record, even if there were doubts about his recruiting ability. Fact is he knew he had problems in his 02 season and adressed the problems, maybe he could have solved more problems and doubts in another year or two. To the comment about what kind of coach/program NU should have i would have rather kept one that the coach had been a part of for over a decade and understood the traditions involved with it, i really dont like what the players leaving are saying about not being like family anymore and i dont like him cutting down on the walk-on program. NU has had alot of productive players as walk-ons and you know they are totally commited to program, unlike some highly sought after recruits. I think that with the departure of FS the program may have lost the feeling that all of us like, or should have liked and that was that commited Huskers were always part of the program, and im not sure that is something that an A.D. that has been there a short time can come in and make a call on. For better or worse we've got BC, as frustrated as i may get with him its not gonna stop me from sticking with the Huskers.

[formerfan]

I agree that BC should be given time, hes here and more changes will cause more termoil and uncertainty. IMO FS should have been given at least one more year after improving from his previous record, even if there were doubts about his recruiting ability. Fact is he knew he had problems in his 02 season and adressed the problems, maybe he could have solved more problems and doubts in another year or two. To the comment about what kind of coach/program NU should have i would have rather kept one that the coach had been a part of for over a decade and understood the traditions involved with it, i really dont like what the players leaving are saying about not being like family anymore and i dont like him cutting down on the walk-on program. NU has had alot of productive players as walk-ons and you know they are totally commited to program, unlike some highly sought after recruits. I think that with the departure of FS the program may have lost the feeling that all of us like, or should have liked and that was that commited Huskers were always part of the program, and im not sure that is something that an A.D. that has been there a short time can come in and make a call on. For better or worse we've got BC, as frustrated as i may get with him its not gonna stop me from sticking with the Huskers.

Great points!

[Utah_Husker]

Are you serious Tommy? Would frank all of the sudden have become a decent recruiter if we had won the NC? I doubt it man. Being the second ranked team isn't that bad considering you are two years removed from winning three of the last four.  I firmly believe that Frank would be in his third year at his new school if he wouldn't have had Eric Crouch.

Crouch, Fonoti, Groce, Alexander, Raiola, Craver, etc....

 

TO left the cupboard stocked full, and Frank left it almost completely bare.

Fonoti was a part of the '99 class. Groce was a part of the '98 class. Crouch would have come here no matter who was coaching.

[DaveH]

I think that you present a great question. I would say that great coaching is getting the most out of what you have (FS in 2003), getting players to play above their respective skills (TO many, many times), great game plans (notice NE Pats, or McBride in the 96 Fiesta Bowl), and putting players in positions to make plays. You also have to have certain intangibles like the ability to read other coaches and motivate their players, just to name a few.

 

I agree with what you are saying. With respect to this last year, I think that there was more apathy among players than under the years you pointed out. How can you motivate someone that would really care less? I am not saying that the whole team was like this, but there were players that were. Why were they apathetic? Maybe bitter about the changes? I don't know. In any case when someone doesn't care at all it is pretty hard to motivate them IMO.

 

Getting players to play above their skills is a function of coaching, I would agree with that. However, I think it takes a certain player to do that. An example I can think of for not playing above his skills, ever, is LeKevin Smith. He was highly touted out of high school and did a lot of talking but has never really backed it up. Under any coach.

 

But, just like a major corporation CEO, there is a bottom line-wins and losses. The 2004 team (especially with their terribly weak schedule) was not a 5-6 team, there is no way you can convince me that they were. In all of the areas that I have mentioned, the 2004 staff failed horribly, they didnt plan well, didnt put the right players in positions to make plays, didnt motivate, didnt get their players to max out (or play above) their potential. Add it all up and the bottom line is that they went 5-6.

 

It could be argued that the 2003 team had an equally weak schedule. This years teams had a few tough road games IMO (TTU, OK, Kstate). Last years schedule didn't involve those teams or we had them at home.

 

I have to disagree about not putting players in position to make plays. Especially on defense I will use the KState game as an example. There were upwards of 30 missed tackles in that game. That means the players were in position to make the play, but failed to. On the offensive side of the ball, I attended the IA State game and from my seats (they were pretty high up) I could see many open receivers that were either a ) not found at all or B ) not found in time.

 

In the Oklahoma game, the run game was used A LOT. I am convinced that's why Oklahoma wasn't able to score more than 30. Our abysmal offense, however, could only muster 3.

 

Sure, this coaching staff has a thing or two to learn. They showed that with the decision to keep some players off the field during warm ups. They owned up to that.

 

In my mind, there are too many variables (coaching changes, new ways of playing, trying to fit round pegs in square holes, etc) to say that this staff is a complete waste of time. Regardless of who was hired after Solich, they need to be given more than a year. That's why I am reserving judgement at this point. At this point I refuse to believe that all these coaches have simply fooled all their superiors over the years into thinking they are something they are not.

[Eric the Red]

Solich-led East squad wins Hula Bowl

BY JAYMES SONG / The Associated Press

 

 

 

 

 

 

WAILUKU, Hawaii — With NFL scouts watching closely, Ronald Stanley upstaged the big names at the Hula Bowl.

 

The Michigan State linebacker scored two defensive touchdowns Saturday to rally the East to a 20-13 victory over West in the Hula Bowl.

 

"I've always been an underrated guy," Stanley said. "It was my time to show what I can do."

 

Down 6-0, the East scored 20 straight points in the third quarter, including Stanley's 38-yard fumble return and a 50-yard interception return.

 

Stanley's TDs gave the East a 13-6 lead and the momentum. It also earned him the East's MVP award.

 

His first TD was a heads-up play.

 

The ball was knocked out of Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang's hand and most players stood around believing the play was dead. But Stanley picked the ball off the grass and ran for a touchdown to put the East up 7-6.

 

"I saw it rolling and rolling," Stanley said. "I broke out, picked it up and was able to get into the end zone."

 

Four plays later, Stanley intercepted an errant pass from Texas Tech's Sonny Cumbie at midfield, streaked down the right sideline and dove into the end zone.

 

"It was a great day. I enjoyed myself," Stanley said.

 

The Hula Bowl featured 92 of college football's best seniors and was played on a balmy, cloudless day on the island of Maui — a stark contrast to the wet and windy conditions during practices.

 

East coach Frank Solich, former of Nebraska and now head coach at Ohio, said Stanley's big plays woke up his team.

 

"After the turnovers, we had confidence and we were able to complete passes and run the ball," he said.

 

The East expanded its lead to 20-6 on a 2-yard dive by North Carolina's Madison Hedgecock. The TD was setup by a 31-yard run by Troy's DeWhitt Betterson who finished with 77 yards rushing on 10 carries.

 

"We anticipated a strong passing game, but the running game was working great and we were able to eat up the clock," Solich said.

 

The West's biggest star was Derrick Wimbush from tiny Fort Valley State.

 

Wimbush ran four times for 74 yards, including a spectacular Hula Bowl record 59-yard touchdown run. The West MVP took a pitch to the left side and quickly ran into traffic. He broke a couple of tackles, reversed his field at the East's 40 and sprinted for the end zone.

 

The West had a chance to tie the game in the fourth, but Sam Houston State quarterback Dustin Long's pass was intercepted by North Carolina State's Dovonte Edwards in the end zone to end the threat.

 

The game featured aggressive defense and sloppy offense, despite several well-known quarterbacks and rules favoring the offense such as no blitzing.

 

"There was supposed to be a lot of offense, but we came out on defense and made big plays," said Penn State linebacker Derek Wake, who forced a fumble and recovered another fumble. "It was our goal to keep the points off the scoreboard."

 

The teams combined for nine turnovers, including five fumbles.

 

"I felt turnovers really determined the course of the game," said West coach Mike Bellotti, of Oregon.

 

Chang, the NCAA career passing leader, was 3-of-8 for 38 yards. Cumbie, who led the nation in yards passing, didn't fare much better. He was 7-of-12 for 58 yards with an interception.

 

"When you try to put an offense together in just a week, it's hard to get everybody on the same page," Cumbie said. "But it was a lot of fun."

 

The West took a 6-0 halftime lead on a pair of 46-yard field goals by Brigham Young's Matt Payne.

 

Payne's second field goal was setup by Oregon linebacker Jerry Matson, who intercepted Florida Atlantic quarterback Jared Allen's first pass attempt of the game and returned it to the East 25.

 

Allen had a dreadful showing, going 3-of-7 for 23 yard and two interceptions.

 

Both teams blew excellent scoring opportunities on the game's opening series.

 

The East marched 75 yards to the West 1, but Harvard's Ryan Fitzpatrick fumbled near the goal line on a quarterback sneak. Texas' Phillip Geiggar picked up the loose ball, broke the other way and pitched it to Fresno State's Therrian Fontenot who sprinted 70 yards into the end zone.

 

But the score was nullified by an illegal lateral call.

[hoyamannn]

Why did Solich and Belotti get to be the coaches for this game?

[Utah_Husker]

Why did Solich and Belotti get to be the coaches for this game?

I think its been said elsewhere on this board, but he was picked as an assistant before he even took the Ohio job. Then a week or so ago Mark Richt of Georgia who was supposed to be the head coach for the east pulled out so Solich was given the spot. There was criticism from some, even some on this board, that he was foolish to go during a critical time for recruiting. His response was they are farther along in recruiting at this point than they had expected and he had committed to coach this game a long time ago and wasn't going to back out.

[formerfan]

Another win for Solich, at least HE can do that.