SwiftFan87 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Nothing earth-shattering here, but I found it interesting Nebraska asked Frank Solich to be the main speaker for the Huskers’ annual spring football coaches’ clinic April 2-4, an event that typically draws 500-plus prep coaches. Solich told me this week there are “100 reasons I wanted to speak at the clinic,” but had to turn down the offer because his Ohio University squad will be in the midst of spring drills. That Solich is eager to return to Nebraska indicates time is healing deep and ugly wounds from his 2003 firing. He still hasn’t visited the NU campus since his ouster. More on that in a minute. The fact the 64-year-old Solich has a major college team to coach is a blessing he doesn’t take for granted, given the number of veteran coaches out of work or coaching in lower divisions. ... “For one thing, there’s a little stigma attached to you if you didn’t make it work at a program, or were fired,” Solich said. “And the trend has gone toward young guys. You see it in the NFL. You see it in colleges. It just seems that once you’ve been in it for a while, and you’re an established guy, and all of a sudden you get removed from a position, it’s tough on you.” ... “I just thought I still had a lot to offer (as a head coach),” said Solich, who’s 23-26 in four seasons at Ohio. “I felt I was good at being a head coach. I had really, in some ways, just begun my head coaching career at Nebraska and was in a little bit of a learning process.” Army’s interest in Solich stemmed in part from his knowledge of the option game. “I was so close to taking that job,” Solich said. However, “I was still in a tailspin at that point. Everything had happened so fast at Nebraska. I didn’t know what other jobs would be out there for me. And I didn’t know enough about the Army program to tell if it could be built. I wanted to try to take something over I could build quickly. “Lord knows I haven’t built this thing (at Ohio) quickly.” Solich’s contract at Ohio expires in 2013. What then? “Would I be able to get back in as a running backs coach somewhere?” he asked. “I think I’d enjoy that. There are times you wonder about everything that goes on as a head coach, and the headaches you have virtually every day. Sometimes guys just want to coach football.” Solich, by the way, was in charge of the Nebraska spring coaches’ clinic for several years while he was a Husker assistant (1979-97). Although he’s unable to speak at the clinic this year (maybe next year, he says) he hopes to watch a couple Husker practices later in the spring and check out NU’s facility upgrades. Not that Solich considers his return to campus to be earth-shattering news of any sort. “I think people there (in Nebraska) are kind of sick of seeing my name,” he said. Maybe some people. Many others will be happy to see Frank, and heartened to see old wounds in the program healing. Quote Link to comment
tattooedhusker Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 good read, thanks for posting! Quote Link to comment
holvy83 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Frank is one of the Good Guys Quote Link to comment
topekahusker Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I think it's great Frank is planning to come back to campus this spring. That will be a big step in bringing closure to his dismissal. Quote Link to comment
carlfense Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Glad to hear some old wounds might be healing. Quote Link to comment
Blackshirtsguru Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Frank is one of the Good Guys Just as long as he is not getting popped for DUI's! Quote Link to comment
ironmike Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Frank is one of the Good Guys Just as long as he is not getting popped for DUI's! Quote Link to comment
holvy83 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Frank is one of the Good Guys Just as long as he is not getting popped for DUI's! well just a little black mark I guess... Quote Link to comment
HSKRNOKC Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Tradition.. He was at Nebraska for a long time and knows what it is to be a Husker. Glad that the offer was extended to him. Quote Link to comment
T_O_Bull Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Frank is one of the Good Guys Just as long as he is not getting popped for DUI's! 1. People wh live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. T_O_B Quote Link to comment
T_O_Bull Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Frank is one of the Good Guys Just as long as he is not getting popped for DUI's! See above. Quote Link to comment
T_O_Bull Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Frank is one of the Good Guys Just as long as he is not getting popped for DUI's! well just a little black mark I guess... See above. Quote Link to comment
T_O_Bull Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Rockne, Lombardi, Bryant, Shula, ect... would all have had a hard time following what TO did in his 25 years at Nebraska and especially the last 5 years. Solich got a raw deal from a guy who did the program no real good in his time as AD. Time for all of us to put the past behind us. T_O_B Quote Link to comment
Landlord Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 It's gotta be tough for him, he gave his entire adult life to this university before Pedersen sent him packing. Quote Link to comment
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