Sipple: Time to honor Frank Solich at NU, Osborne says

[Redtillimdead]

Let's please remember that frank solichs time at NU isn't just as head coach but many successful years as an assistant(just look at how many running backs he help put in the league) as well as his success as a player. Does he deserve to be honored for his many contributions to NU... Hell yes!!! Get over yourselves people. Don't be so damn narrow minded. He was a GREAT HUSKER!!! And the sad part is, alot of people don't consider him a husker today! TO wants to honor his body of work at NU which if you think about it was unparalleled!! All conference player, coach CCof the year and a great and loyal assistant... A well deserved if belated honor for Coach Solich!!!

[irafreak]

This isn't hard to understand people. Frank Solich followed two of college's greatest coaches. He was hamstrung in his coaching hires as Osborne wanted the whole staff to remain intact. Choosing FS over other coaches caused some ruffling of feathers...it's only natural for people who coached as loyal as Solich and not get picked.

 

It was said that Charlie McBride was to retire after the 97 season but Osborne talked him out of it to help get FS off on the right foot. That's why the 99 team was FS best. We had a breakdown at the end of 01. This cannot be blamed on FS. Colorado gashed us over and over with a simple counter play and our LBs were out of position. This is a defensive issue. Miami had more team speed and overall talent and beat us.

 

Osborne created a machine that honestly couldn't last in this day and age. Bama even with Saban will not be in the title game talk every year. They will drop off from time to time.

 

I think it's unfortunate that FS is always judged by his failure to be as amazing as TO, a 7-7 season, and a final year in which we got beat soundly by one of the best teams in the country that probably would've been playing for a title had they not lost their qb for the beginning of their season.

 

He's a solid HC. In over his head at Nebraska? Who really knows. He wasn't given a fair shake. He couldn't just make up his own staff and it WAS his first HC gig. The hate directed at FS is done so out of ignorance and unrealistic expectations.

 

IRAFreak, I think you give Frank too much credit. Granted, I understand this is to counter the derp being thrown his way, but you're going a *wee* bit overboard IMO...

 

Granted, I'm not trying to **** on Frank--he did a lot right while he was a head coach.

 

But when Frank was able to start installing his staff, we got hits (Pelini, Sanders) and misses (Barney Cotton, Craig Bohl). We got perhaps one of the most memerable OU/NU matches and one of the most enigmatic QBs to receive a Heisman under Frank...but we also got the Colorado debacle and Jamaal Lord. While Osborne and, most of the time, Devaney were able to have their successes outweigh their miscues, Frank wasn't so lucky--his miscues were just as signifigant, if not moreso (considering the state of the program) than the successes he achieved--this is the problem with romanticizing the Solich era, IMO.

 

Aditionally, during Solich's tenure, we got a signifigant dropoff in recruiting activity--it was discussed ad nauseum how recruiting suffered at the hands of Frank, mainly because he had coaches, including himself, that didn't hit the road nearly as much as it was necessary.

 

Plus, the rumors of alcohol and co-ed problems are still whispered here and elsewhere--I have no idea if they're true, but I do recall that one of Frank's first gaffes at Ohio was (IIRC) driving intoxicated the wrong way on a one-way street, which does substantiate the rumor, to some degree, that there may have been problems with Frank at DoNU.

 

Having said this, no one among us is perfect or a saint, and Frank did give us some of the best years of his life as a player, an assistant, and as a head coach. Frank isn't deserving of the hate and vitroil that is being slewn his way...nor is Frank deserving of a ticker-tape parade, a memorial bust, or a building named after him.

 

And it's not fair to judge DoNU against an SEC program--Nebraska, for the most part, plays by the rules. The SEC, historically, has viewed the rules as mere suggestions that otherwise keep a good program from becoming great. It's no coincidence that the SEC's best decade in history comes during the decade in which the NCAA has been repeatedly (and willfully) negligent in their duties. From paying players off (via Parental units), oversigning players, and recruiting violations that only get a slap on the wrist, it's no wonder why Saban or the SEC doesn't experience the lulls that the rest of the programs do--their success is artifical at best.

 

Again--if we truly want to honor Frank, then schedule the Ohio Bobcats for next year and for as long as he's head coach and willing to come to Lincoln. Frank was a feisty fullback warrior who wasn't afraid of a scrap, and what better way to honor him than to give him a chance to prove his legacy within Memorial Stadium again with a team that is entirely his own creation, for better or worse.

I guess what I'm saying is we can't compare the two coaches. Frank coached in a different time. The big12 had more competition...more parity than the 80's Big8. Kstate was nothing until the mid 90's...I mean just look at what has happened this decade. Kansas, Missouri and Okst have all been a game away from playing for a national title for god's sake! The fact that FS still won 75% of his games here says something. I know people say his first couple teams were just Osborne's talent winning but look what billy C did to that 03 team the next year. I'm not saying he's a coaching legend. I don't think he got a fair shake.

 

Was he in over his head? Probably. But we'll never know because he was fired before he had a chance to see how his staff would play out AND he had enormously unrealistic expectations placed on him from day 1. I remember being upset in 98 when we blew out the first team on the schedule but gave up several big pass plays. Now we're just thrilled to get the win. I guess I don't see much different between he and Bo right now. Both first time HC. Both struggling at times but succeeding for the most part. But one followed a legend and the other a joke....

 

Oh and as far as that DUI charge at Ohio....they found traces of the date rape drug. I wouldn't toss out the idea that someone mixed up drinks....originally FS wanted to fight it but was probably talked out of it so the team and school could move on.

[Green Lantern]

This isn't hard to understand people. Frank Solich followed two of college's greatest coaches. He was hamstrung in his coaching hires as Osborne wanted the whole staff to remain intact. Choosing FS over other coaches caused some ruffling of feathers...it's only natural for people who coached as loyal as Solich and not get picked. It was said that Charlie McBride was to retire after the 97 season but Osborne talked him out of it to help get FS off on the right foot. That's why the 99 team was FS best. We had a breakdown at the end of 01. This cannot be blamed on FS. Colorado gashed us over and over with a simple counter play and our LBs were out of position. This is a defensive issue. Miami had more team speed and overall talent and beat us. Osborne created a machine that honestly couldn't last in this day and age. Bama even with Saban will not be in the title game talk every year. They will drop off from time to time. I think it's unfortunate that FS is always judged by his failure to be as amazing as TO, a 7-7 season, and a final year in which we got beat soundly by one of the best teams in the country that probably would've been playing for a title had they not lost their qb for the beginning of their season. He's a solid HC. In over his head at Nebraska? Who really knows. He wasn't given a fair shake. He couldn't just make up his own staff and it WAS his first HC gig. The hate directed at FS is done so out of ignorance and unrealistic expectations.

IRAFreak, I think you give Frank too much credit. Granted, I understand this is to counter the derp being thrown his way, but you're going a *wee* bit overboard IMO... Granted, I'm not trying to **** on Frank--he did a lot right while he was a head coach. But when Frank was able to start installing his staff, we got hits (Pelini, Sanders) and misses (Barney Cotton, Craig Bohl). We got perhaps one of the most memerable OU/NU matches and one of the most enigmatic QBs to receive a Heisman under Frank...but we also got the Colorado debacle and Jamaal Lord. While Osborne and, most of the time, Devaney were able to have their successes outweigh their miscues, Frank wasn't so lucky--his miscues were just as signifigant, if not moreso (considering the state of the program) than the successes he achieved--this is the problem with romanticizing the Solich era, IMO. Aditionally, during Solich's tenure, we got a signifigant dropoff in recruiting activity--it was discussed ad nauseum how recruiting suffered at the hands of Frank, mainly because he had coaches, including himself, that didn't hit the road nearly as much as it was necessary. Plus, the rumors of alcohol and co-ed problems are still whispered here and elsewhere--I have no idea if they're true, but I do recall that one of Frank's first gaffes at Ohio was (IIRC) driving intoxicated the wrong way on a one-way street, which does substantiate the rumor, to some degree, that there may have been problems with Frank at DoNU. Having said this, no one among us is perfect or a saint, and Frank did give us some of the best years of his life as a player, an assistant, and as a head coach. Frank isn't deserving of the hate and vitroil that is being slewn his way...nor is Frank deserving of a ticker-tape parade, a memorial bust, or a building named after him. And it's not fair to judge DoNU against an SEC program--Nebraska, for the most part, plays by the rules. The SEC, historically, has viewed the rules as mere suggestions that otherwise keep a good program from becoming great. It's no coincidence that the SEC's best decade in history comes during the decade in which the NCAA has been repeatedly (and willfully) negligent in their duties. From paying players off (via Parental units), oversigning players, and recruiting violations that only get a slap on the wrist, it's no wonder why Saban or the SEC doesn't experience the lulls that the rest of the programs do--their success is artifical at best. Again--if we truly want to honor Frank, then schedule the Ohio Bobcats for next year and for as long as he's head coach and willing to come to Lincoln. Frank was a feisty fullback warrior who wasn't afraid of a scrap, and what better way to honor him than to give him a chance to prove his legacy within Memorial Stadium again with a team that is entirely his own creation, for better or worse.

I guess what I'm saying is we can't compare the two coaches. Frank coached in a different time. The big12 had more competition...more parity than the 80's Big8. Kstate was nothing until the mid 90's...I mean just look at what has happened this decade. Kansas, Missouri and Okst have all been a game away from playing for a national title for god's sake! The fact that FS still won 75% of his games here says something. I know people say his first couple teams were just Osborne's talent winning but look what billy C did to that 03 team the next year. I'm not saying he's a coaching legend. I don't think he got a fair shake. Was he in over his head? Probably. But we'll never know because he was fired before he had a chance to see how his staff would play out AND he had enormously unrealistic expectations placed on him from day 1. I remember being upset in 98 when we blew out the first team on the schedule but gave up several big pass plays. Now we're just thrilled to get the win. I guess I don't see much different between he and Bo right now. Both first time HC. Both struggling at times but succeeding for the most part. But one followed a legend and the other a joke.... Oh and as far as that DUI charge at Ohio....they found traces of the date rape drug. I wouldn't toss out the idea that someone mixed up drinks....originally FS wanted to fight it but was probably talked out of it so the team and school could move on.

 

I'm sorry, but there is way too much logic in this post for people who dislike Frank.

[Redtillimdead]

Atta boy Frankie!!

[MLB 51]

I don't think the fans would let BC past the front gate. If he even made it across the state line.

[Rocketsocks]

Bill Callahan never wanted to come here in the first place and he isn't coming back here to celebrate the glory days of his coaching stint at Nebraska. What would we celebrate? The Alamo Bowl win? Purify in the end zone against A&M? The good times were few and far between under Callahan.

[NUance]

I don't think the fans would let BC past the front gate.

Some of the media folks would appreciate the irony in this.

[Count 'Bility]

So after the next 2 years of going 9/10-4 and we fire Bo, will we bring him back in 12 years to honor his time and efforts here?

[skersfan]

I think if he continues 9-4 10-4 he statys a long time. But we will have given up on MNC and just be happy making money. I think that is far more important to the University than MNC are currently.

 

I say that as long as there isn't another Texas A&M melt down. If that happens my guess we will be looking for a new coach the next day.