The Solich Curse

[OH HSKR FAN]

One thing to keep in mind that no one has touched on. Frank only won 9 games in 2003. Bo won 1.

 

 

I think the real argument here are the losses more than the wins.

[AFhusker]

So was there a curse when we went 20+ years between National Championships?

The curse ensures NU will not have a season record better than the 2003 season. Solich was fired because 10-3 was not good enough. The Solich curse ensures NU will never be that good again. NU had many good seasons between National Championships. We keep thinking that improving position coaches, changing QBs, improving LB speed, etc will get NU over the hump, but it will not. NU will only be relevant again when the Solich curse is broken.

 

I think it had more to do with us having a 10-3 record. I mean look at it at more than just the record. You have to remember, Solich was given a FRANCHISE. He wasn't given a program he had to rebuild. I strongly believe Pederson wanted to fire him after 2002, but gave him one more year to win AT LEAST the division and take us to the CCG.

 

First year after winning the NCG.

1998- 9-4, No divisional title, no CCG. Lost our bowl game. Incomplete Season.

 

1999- 12-1. Win our division, win the CCG. Go the the Fiesta Bowl and win. Completed season.

 

2000- 10-2, No division title, no CCG. Won the Alamo Bowl. Despite the 2 losses, they were critical. Incomplete season.

 

2001- We win our division, but we lose the Big 12 CCG, in a BLOWOUT. Just like we did against Wisconsin this year. 36-62. We then, somehow found a way to the Rose Bowl, and got spanked by Miami. 14-37. Sure we made it to the NCG, but this season in my eyes was incomplete.

 

2002- We go 7-7. Not beating one ranked team. Didn't even win our division. No CCG and a crappy bowl. Incomplete season.

 

2003- 10-3. We beat 1 ranked (Okie St.) team. We then lose to Missouri (1st time ever) 34-41, Texas (the only other ranked opponent on our schedule) 7-31, and unranked K-State 9-38. We didn't win our division, once again, and didn't get to the CCG. No BCS. Incomplete season.

 

After 6 seasons, we had one complete season, and I guess you could argue '01 being one too if you think getting to the MNC with not winning your CCG, while losing in a blowout fashion is ok. At that time, it wasn't ok. Its still not ok, but its tolerated a little more, because Bo wasn't handed a fully built franchise.

 

Billy Sianis was asked to leave a Cubs World Series game because his goat (that he brought to the game) smelled. He placed a curse on the Cubs, and now it has over 100 years since the Cubs have won a World Series.

 

The Red Sox had won five world series prior to 1920 when they sold Babe Ruth. The Red Sox didn’t win another World Series for 86 years after one of Ruth’s bats was purchased by a Red Sox fan and burned.

 

It has now been 10 years since Frank Solich was fired for letting the team “gravitate into mediocrity”. When Solich was fired in 2003 the Husker’s record was 10 and 3 (0.769). The best record since has been 10 and 4 (0.714). I have a theory that there is a Solich curse. The Huskers will never have a season as good as the 2003 season until the curse is broken. What will it take to break the curse?

 

Hire coaches that can do both recruit and "coach them up" once they get here. We had a great recruiter in Callahan but he couldn't get them to get to thier potential. Bo is the opposite, he can't get enough talent here. Both of these guys refuse to fire incomepntant coaches in Cozgrove and Cotton.

 

And there is no Frank curse, he refused to recruit and once Tom's players ran out he needed a win over a FCS school to keep the bowl streak going. 2003 was an aboration as it was on of the easiest schedules NU has ever played. Next year will be even easier and Bo has no excuse for not breaking his 10-4 glass celing.

 

NU didn't win the CCG in 2001, they lost it to CU in that embarrasing loss. CU then went on to get dominated in the CCG. You also have to look at how devoid of talent the team was in 2004 and that is all on Frank. Nobody could have won with that team, that is why Callahan had to go the JUCO route. If nothing else, he left a lot of talent that Bo and his staff was able to get more out of than Callahan's staff did. But now we just had the worst defnese in school hisotry in Bo's first year without Callahan's players. That is not a good sign.

[Hoosker]

So was there a curse when we went 20+ years between National Championships?

The curse ensures NU will not have a season record better than the 2003 season. Solich was fired because 10-3 was not good enough. The Solich curse ensures NU will never be that good again. NU had many good seasons between National Championships. We keep thinking that improving position coaches, changing QBs, improving LB speed, etc will get NU over the hump, but it will not. NU will only be relevant again when the Solich curse is broken.

 

I think it had more to do with us having a 10-3 record. I mean look at it at more than just the record. You have to remember, Solich was given a FRANCHISE. He wasn't given a program he had to rebuild. I strongly believe Pederson wanted to fire him after 2002, but gave him one more year to win AT LEAST the division and take us to the CCG.

 

First year after winning the NCG.

1998- 9-4, No divisional title, no CCG. Lost our bowl game. Incomplete Season.

 

1999- 12-1. Win our division, win the CCG. Go the the Fiesta Bowl and win. Completed season.

 

2000- 10-2, No division title, no CCG. Won the Alamo Bowl. Despite the 2 losses, they were critical. Incomplete season.

 

2001- We win our division, but we lose the Big 12 CCG, in a BLOWOUT. Just like we did against Wisconsin this year. 36-62. We then, somehow found a way to the Rose Bowl, and got spanked by Miami. 14-37. Sure we made it to the NCG, but this season in my eyes was incomplete.

 

2002- We go 7-7. Not beating one ranked team. Didn't even win our division. No CCG and a crappy bowl. Incomplete season.

 

2003- 10-3. We beat 1 ranked (Okie St.) team. We then lose to Missouri (1st time ever) 34-41, Texas (the only other ranked opponent on our schedule) 7-31, and unranked K-State 9-38. We didn't win our division, once again, and didn't get to the CCG. No BCS. Incomplete season.

 

After 6 seasons, we had one complete season, and I guess you could argue '01 being one too if you think getting to the MNC with not winning your CCG, while losing in a blowout fashion is ok. At that time, it wasn't ok. Its still not ok, but its tolerated a little more, because Bo wasn't handed a fully built franchise.

 

Billy Sianis was asked to leave a Cubs World Series game because his goat (that he brought to the game) smelled. He placed a curse on the Cubs, and now it has over 100 years since the Cubs have won a World Series.

 

The Red Sox had won five world series prior to 1920 when they sold Babe Ruth. The Red Sox didn’t win another World Series for 86 years after one of Ruth’s bats was purchased by a Red Sox fan and burned.

 

It has now been 10 years since Frank Solich was fired for letting the team “gravitate into mediocrity”. When Solich was fired in 2003 the Husker’s record was 10 and 3 (0.769). The best record since has been 10 and 4 (0.714). I have a theory that there is a Solich curse. The Huskers will never have a season as good as the 2003 season until the curse is broken. What will it take to break the curse?

 

Hire coaches that can do both recruit and "coach them up" once they get here. We had a great recruiter in Callahan but he couldn't get them to get to thier potential. Bo is the opposite, he can't get enough talent here. Both of these guys refuse to fire incomepntant coaches in Cozgrove and Cotton.

 

And there is no Frank curse, he refused to recruit and once Tom's players ran out he needed a win over a FCS school to keep the bowl streak going. 2003 was an aboration as it was on of the easiest schedules NU has ever played. Next year will be even easier and Bo has no excuse for not breaking his 10-4 glass celing.

 

NU didn't win the CCG in 2001, they lost it to CU in that embarrasing loss. CU then went on to get dominated in the CCG. You also have to look at how devoid of talent the team was in 2004 and that is all on Frank. Nobody could have won with that team, that is why Callahan had to go the JUCO route. If nothing else, he left a lot of talent that Bo and his staff was able to get more out of than Callahan's staff did. But now we just had the worst defnese in school hisotry in Bo's first year without Callahan's players. That is not a good sign.

 

[nebraskafaninwi]

What we need as a program in the recruiting world is to pull of a complete stunner around the country by landing a recruit everyone assumed is a lock for the hometown school. Combine that type of buzz with winning on the field and we would have a ton of positive press going on. If we can get our running game to remain at the top of the country and keep recruiting solid depth at the RB position and get the OL pipeline going again the physical running style will return. It has been proven for decades that you need a powerful run game to win at the highest level. I am happy we are getting back to that style of football.....just spread power instead of option power.

[Count 'Bility]

So was there a curse when we went 20+ years between National Championships?

The curse ensures NU will not have a season record better than the 2003 season. Solich was fired because 10-3 was not good enough. The Solich curse ensures NU will never be that good again. NU had many good seasons between National Championships. We keep thinking that improving position coaches, changing QBs, improving LB speed, etc will get NU over the hump, but it will not. NU will only be relevant again when the Solich curse is broken.

 

I think it had more to do with us having a 10-3 record. I mean look at it at more than just the record. You have to remember, Solich was given a FRANCHISE. He wasn't given a program he had to rebuild. I strongly believe Pederson wanted to fire him after 2002, but gave him one more year to win AT LEAST the division and take us to the CCG.

 

First year after winning the NCG.

1998- 9-4, No divisional title, no CCG. Lost our bowl game. Incomplete Season.

 

1999- 12-1. Win our division, win the CCG. Go the the Fiesta Bowl and win. Completed season.

 

2000- 10-2, No division title, no CCG. Won the Alamo Bowl. Despite the 2 losses, they were critical. Incomplete season.

 

2001- We win our division, but we lose the Big 12 CCG, in a BLOWOUT. Just like we did against Wisconsin this year. 36-62. We then, somehow found a way to the Rose Bowl, and got spanked by Miami. 14-37. Sure we made it to the NCG, but this season in my eyes was incomplete.

 

2002- We go 7-7. Not beating one ranked team. Didn't even win our division. No CCG and a crappy bowl. Incomplete season.

 

2003- 10-3. We beat 1 ranked (Okie St.) team. We then lose to Missouri (1st time ever) 34-41, Texas (the only other ranked opponent on our schedule) 7-31, and unranked K-State 9-38. We didn't win our division, once again, and didn't get to the CCG. No BCS. Incomplete season.

 

After 6 seasons, we had one complete season, and I guess you could argue '01 being one too if you think getting to the MNC with not winning your CCG, while losing in a blowout fashion is ok. At that time, it wasn't ok. Its still not ok, but its tolerated a little more, because Bo wasn't handed a fully built franchise.

 

Billy Sianis was asked to leave a Cubs World Series game because his goat (that he brought to the game) smelled. He placed a curse on the Cubs, and now it has over 100 years since the Cubs have won a World Series.

 

The Red Sox had won five world series prior to 1920 when they sold Babe Ruth. The Red Sox didn’t win another World Series for 86 years after one of Ruth’s bats was purchased by a Red Sox fan and burned.

 

It has now been 10 years since Frank Solich was fired for letting the team “gravitate into mediocrity”. When Solich was fired in 2003 the Husker’s record was 10 and 3 (0.769). The best record since has been 10 and 4 (0.714). I have a theory that there is a Solich curse. The Huskers will never have a season as good as the 2003 season until the curse is broken. What will it take to break the curse?

 

Hire coaches that can do both recruit and "coach them up" once they get here. We had a great recruiter in Callahan but he couldn't get them to get to thier potential. Bo is the opposite, he can't get enough talent here. Both of these guys refuse to fire incomepntant coaches in Cozgrove and Cotton.

 

And there is no Frank curse, he refused to recruit and once Tom's players ran out he needed a win over a FCS school to keep the bowl streak going. 2003 was an aboration as it was on of the easiest schedules NU has ever played. Next year will be even easier and Bo has no excuse for not breaking his 10-4 glass celing.

 

NU didn't win the CCG in 2001, they lost it to CU in that embarrasing loss. CU then went on to get dominated in the CCG. You also have to look at how devoid of talent the team was in 2004 and that is all on Frank. Nobody could have won with that team, that is why Callahan had to go the JUCO route. If nothing else, he left a lot of talent that Bo and his staff was able to get more out of than Callahan's staff did. But now we just had the worst defnese in school hisotry in Bo's first year without Callahan's players. That is not a good sign.

Nebraska lost the division to CU in 2001. Colorado beat Texas a week later to win the Big 12 championship. It was one of the string of events that lead to Nebraska getting back to the #2 spot.

 

2004 APPEARED to be void of talent. Because Callahan was trying to teach portuguese to a bunch of french. It didnt work. We'll never know, but I would bet that if Frank is retained with the staff he had in place, Nebraska wouldve consistently won 9-10 games. I'll even say that Joe Daily wouldve turned out to be a pretty good qb in the system Frank was developing. Callahan didnt exactly try to ease his west coast offense into place. He immediately tried to slam his square peg into a round hole-without the lube. Remember the Southern Miss game we lost? Yeah, the one where Cory Ross was gashing them time and time again, and all Billber had to do was run the ball for the win? Well, he decided to try to throw it all over the place, putting Daily completely out of his element and throwin int after int (I think 2 were returned for td's). Then by midseason the defense gave in because it had become a lost hope and them poor kids didnt seem to understand what they were playing for anyway. The proud program they had been brought into had been completely trashed. It was a very psychologically draining time for Nebraska football-moreso than most will ever understand.

[AFhusker]

[

Hire coaches that can do both recruit and "coach them up" once they get here. We had a great recruiter in Callahan but he couldn't get them to get to thier potential. Bo is the opposite, he can't get enough talent here. Both of these guys refuse to fire incomepntant coaches in Cozgrove and Cotton.

 

And there is no Frank curse, he refused to recruit and once Tom's players ran out he needed a win over a FCS school to keep the bowl streak going. 2003 was an aboration as it was on of the easiest schedules NU has ever played. Next year will be even easier and Bo has no excuse for not breaking his 10-4 glass celing.

 

NU didn't win the CCG in 2001, they lost it to CU in that embarrasing loss. CU then went on to get dominated in the CCG. You also have to look at how devoid of talent the team was in 2004 and that is all on Frank. Nobody could have won with that team, that is why Callahan had to go the JUCO route. If nothing else, he left a lot of talent that Bo and his staff was able to get more out of than Callahan's staff did. But now we just had the worst defnese in school hisotry in Bo's first year without Callahan's players. That is not a good sign.

Nebraska lost the division to CU in 2001. Colorado beat Texas a week later to win the Big 12 championship. It was one of the string of events that lead to Nebraska getting back to the #2 spot.

 

2004 APPEARED to be void of talent. Because Callahan was trying to teach portuguese to a bunch of french. It didnt work. We'll never know, but I would bet that if Frank is retained with the staff he had in place, Nebraska wouldve consistently won 9-10 games. I'll even say that Joe Daily wouldve turned out to be a pretty good qb in the system Frank was developing. Callahan didnt exactly try to ease his west coast offense into place. He immediately tried to slam his square peg into a round hole-without the lube. Remember the Southern Miss game we lost? Yeah, the one where Cory Ross was gashing them time and time again, and all Billber had to do was run the ball for the win? Well, he decided to try to throw it all over the place, putting Daily completely out of his element and throwin int after int (I think 2 were returned for td's). Then by midseason the defense gave in because it had become a lost hope and them poor kids didnt seem to understand what they were playing for anyway. The proud program they had been brought into had been completely trashed. It was a very psychologically draining time for Nebraska football-moreso than most will ever understand.

 

That team had zero talent on offense and no depth on the DL. Their best player was a TE. I don't know how it's Bills fault that he was given the worst QB in NU history (He was beat out by a true freshman at UNC when they sucked, and moved to a possesion WR) and nothing else behind him by Frank. It is also not Bills fault the Joe was dumb enough to run out of bound on 4th down to end the game inside the 10. Bill did a lot wrong, but having one QB and only 3 DL on the team due to lazy recruting by Frank is not his fault.

 

There is no way Joe does any better in a offense led by Barney Cotton. Think about that for a second, you know it's bad when you have that dufus running the offense.

[MichiganDad3]

Possible ways to end the Solich curse

 

Solich is hired as Chancellor at Pitt and fires Steve Pederson

 

Steve Pederson is fired from Pitt, loses all his savings in a scam, moves to Ohio and becomes Frank's yard boy

 

NU renames Memorial stadium Frank Solich stadium

 

Stadium drive is renamed Frank Solich drive, and T-street is renamed 45th street

 

Solich sleeps with Steve Pederson's wife

 

Any other ideas?

[Count 'Bility]

[

Hire coaches that can do both recruit and "coach them up" once they get here. We had a great recruiter in Callahan but he couldn't get them to get to thier potential. Bo is the opposite, he can't get enough talent here. Both of these guys refuse to fire incomepntant coaches in Cozgrove and Cotton.

 

And there is no Frank curse, he refused to recruit and once Tom's players ran out he needed a win over a FCS school to keep the bowl streak going. 2003 was an aboration as it was on of the easiest schedules NU has ever played. Next year will be even easier and Bo has no excuse for not breaking his 10-4 glass celing.

 

NU didn't win the CCG in 2001, they lost it to CU in that embarrasing loss. CU then went on to get dominated in the CCG. You also have to look at how devoid of talent the team was in 2004 and that is all on Frank. Nobody could have won with that team, that is why Callahan had to go the JUCO route. If nothing else, he left a lot of talent that Bo and his staff was able to get more out of than Callahan's staff did. But now we just had the worst defnese in school hisotry in Bo's first year without Callahan's players. That is not a good sign.

Nebraska lost the division to CU in 2001. Colorado beat Texas a week later to win the Big 12 championship. It was one of the string of events that lead to Nebraska getting back to the #2 spot.

 

2004 APPEARED to be void of talent. Because Callahan was trying to teach portuguese to a bunch of french. It didnt work. We'll never know, but I would bet that if Frank is retained with the staff he had in place, Nebraska wouldve consistently won 9-10 games. I'll even say that Joe Daily wouldve turned out to be a pretty good qb in the system Frank was developing. Callahan didnt exactly try to ease his west coast offense into place. He immediately tried to slam his square peg into a round hole-without the lube. Remember the Southern Miss game we lost? Yeah, the one where Cory Ross was gashing them time and time again, and all Billber had to do was run the ball for the win? Well, he decided to try to throw it all over the place, putting Daily completely out of his element and throwin int after int (I think 2 were returned for td's). Then by midseason the defense gave in because it had become a lost hope and them poor kids didnt seem to understand what they were playing for anyway. The proud program they had been brought into had been completely trashed. It was a very psychologically draining time for Nebraska football-moreso than most will ever understand.

 

That team had zero talent on offense and no depth on the DL. Their best player was a TE. I don't know how it's Bills fault that he was given the worst QB in NU history (He was beat out by a true freshman at UNC when they sucked, and moved to a possesion WR) and nothing else behind him by Frank. It is also not Bills fault the Joe was dumb enough to run out of bound on 4th down to end the game inside the 10. Bill did a lot wrong, but having one QB and only 3 DL on the team due to lazy recruting by Frank is not his fault.

 

There is no way Joe does any better in a offense led by Barney Cotton. Think about that for a second, you know it's bad when you have that dufus running the offense.

You may pay attention to games, but I'm bettin you dont pay much attention to anything else. Joe Daily was told to run out of bounds. He was told NOT to take hits regardless of the situation. It was said so after that game.

 

Talent or not, those players were brough in by Frank for a system that was 180 degrees from what they ended up playing in. Joe Daily was not the worst qb in history until he was put in a position to fail. Hell, in 2003 Daily was labeled as our savior. He was not a pocket passing west coast QB. Anyone with any common sense can see this. Solich wins 9-10 games in 2004.

[knapplc]

Possible ways to end the Solich curse

 

...

 

Any other ideas?

 

You forgot: Don't invent silly things like "The Solich Curse."

[knapplc]

2003 was an aboration as it was on of the easiest schedules NU has ever played.

 

Wasn't sure about this one, so I went and checked Sagarin.

 

SOS during the Frank Solich Era:

1998 - 10

1999 - 18

2000 - 20

2001 - 29

2002 - 28

2003 - 58

 

SOS during the Bill Callahan Era:

2004 - 55

2005 - 36

2006 - ?? (it's not on the site anymore )

2007 - 4

 

SOS during the Bo Pelini Era:

2008 - 38

2009 - 52

2010 - 39

2011 - 26

2012 - 20

 

Not sure why 2006's data is gone. Most of that page has zeroes. I have it on a spreadsheet, somewhere...

[MichiganDad3]

Possible ways to end the Solich curse

 

...

 

Any other ideas?

 

You forgot: Don't invent silly things like "The Solich Curse."

The curse wasn't invented. It was the result of an inept athletic director trying to make the Huskers better. His arrogance triggered a cosmic reaction preventing not only Peedy's original goal but any improvement from the current state of the program. It is the duty of the Husker Nation to break the spell. We cannot destined for another lost decade.

[MichiganDad3]

I wasn't a big Solich supporter, but I was moderately hopeful after he made staff changes. I felt a little like I do now. I was wondering if Solich could turn the corner, like I wonder if Bo can turn the corner.

 

What bothered me was the way Frank was fired. Peedy had a big press conference and ranted about not letting the program gravitate into mediocrity, and he didn't even have another coach ready. He should have had a very brief press conference thanking Solich for his years of work and accomplishments with NU followed by a brief statement saying a decision has been made to change the leadership of the football team.

[CheeseHusker]

Ah, '09 Iowa State.

 

There was a point in this game where I wanted to kick a field goal on first down just to take a 10-9 lead because it seemed like there was some kind of Bermuda Triangle between the goal line and the 5. I literally wanted Nebraska to kick a field goal on first down.

[BigRedBuster]

I wasn't a big Solich supporter, but I was moderately hopeful after he made staff changes. I felt a little like I do now. I was wondering if Solich could turn the corner, like I wonder if Bo can turn the corner.

 

What bothered me was the way Frank was fired. Peedy had a big press conference and ranted about not letting the program gravitate into mediocrity, and he didn't even have another coach ready. He should have had a very brief press conference thanking Solich for his years of work and accomplishments with NU followed by a brief statement saying a decision has been made to change the leadership of the football team.

 

Completely agree. I was a supporter of Solich AFTER he made the staff changes.

 

But, the way Peddy did the entire transition from the press conference you talked about all the way to how Cally was hired and announced was pathetic.

 

Example: In the press conference, he made a big deal about no talent on the team and the new coach needs to be better at bringing in players that can win.

 

REALLY???? You say this to the public? News flash Peddy....the new coach is going to have to come in and try to win WITH THOSE PLAYERS. You might think that behind the scenes and you might tell the new staff this that recruiting needs to improve, but you DON"T say that to the public where the current players are going to be listening.

 

At that point, he completely demoralized every player currently in the program and digs the hole even deeper that the new staff has to dig out of.

 

I honestly can not believe that Peddy is still in charge of a major athletic department in this country.

[NUance]

I wasn't a big Solich supporter, but I was moderately hopeful after he made staff changes. I felt a little like I do now. I was wondering if Solich could turn the corner, like I wonder if Bo can turn the corner.

 

What bothered me was the way Frank was fired. Peedy had a big press conference and ranted about not letting the program gravitate into mediocrity, and he didn't even have another coach ready. He should have had a very brief press conference thanking Solich for his years of work and accomplishments with NU followed by a brief statement saying a decision has been made to change the leadership of the football team.

 

Completely agree. I was a supporter of Solich AFTER he made the staff changes.

 

But, the way Peddy did the entire transition from the press conference you talked about all the way to how Cally was hired and announced was pathetic.

 

Example: In the press conference, he made a big deal about no talent on the team and the new coach needs to be better at bringing in players that can win.

 

REALLY???? You say this to the public? News flash Peddy....the new coach is going to have to come in and try to win WITH THOSE PLAYERS. You might think that behind the scenes and you might tell the new staff this that recruiting needs to improve, but you DON"T say that to the public where the current players are going to be listening.

 

At that point, he completely demoralized every player currently in the program and digs the hole even deeper that the new staff has to dig out of.

 

I honestly can not believe that Peddy is still in charge of a major athletic department in this country.

Yeah, these two posts pretty much nail it, as far as how I feel. I wasn't a huge fan of Solich. He wasn't the answer. But he was doing everything within his capability to improve. Then Pederson came in and basically burned the whole thing to the ground without any sort of plan in place. Steve Pederson is a walking clusterf%$k when it comes to top level management skills. Set our program back a decade by way he mismanaged things.