College Football: Solich supports golf event

Eric the Red

Team HuskerBoard
College Football: Solich supports golf event

Y LEE BARFKNECHT

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - Spring practice at Ohio University will prevent Bobcats coach Frank Solich from attending today's Nebraska football reunion golf tournament.

But don't interpret the former Husker player and coach's absence as a lack of interest.

Solich, in fact, showed so much interest in the event that he made special arrangements to fly to Lincoln on Thursday morning and have lunch with some former staff members - including Tom Osborne - before returning to Athens, Ohio, later in the day.

"This is my only invitation to anything athletically related at the university since I've been gone," said Solich, who was fired by current NU Athletic Director Steve Pederson after a 9-3 regular season in 2003.

"So I took the opportunity to come back quickly and show appreciation to these guys and for what the program represents."

The ex-players reunion today at Himark Golf Course is directly opposite the third annual Nebraska Lettermen's Club golf tournament, sponsored by the athletic department, at Wilderness Ridge.

The alternate event - billed as "Fun The Original Husker Way" - is partly a tribute to team physician Dr. Pat Clare and to former Nebraska football trainer Doak Ostergard, who was dismissed without public explanation in February after 18 years at the school overall.

As of early this week, 32 foursomes had committed to the alternate golf event, organizers said. That event is free. Osborne is among those set to attend.

As of Thursday, 20 foursomes were set for the athletic department event, N Club President Mitch Krenk said. That event charges $50 for golf. Osborne and Solich said they weren't invited to the athletic department tournament.

Solich said he wasn't aware of any agenda to the alternate event.

"I'm just supportive of this program, in general, and the players," he said. "All the players want the same thing.

"To me, this is about showing appreciation to some people who have done so much for the program."

Solich returned quickly to Ohio because the school's football coaches clinic starts today. The featured speaker is LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, who held the same title at Nebraska in Solich's final season.

Solich, after twice earning Big 12 coach of the year honors at Nebraska, was voted Mid-American Conference coach of the year in 2006 for helping Ohio break a 38-year bowl drought.

In his second season, the Bobcats finished 9-5 and won the MAC East Division.

"I didn't buy into the talk that it was going to take four or five years to get things squared away," Solich said. "We recruited good athletes the first year - which wasn't automatic because we came in late - and we've got a very good staff."

Six of Solich's assistants have Nebraska ties (Tim Albin, Jimmy Burrow, Gerry Gdowski, Ross Els, Keven Lightner, Carl Pelini).

"I thought we could win early," Solich said. "Now we hope to build on that success."

The trip to the GMAC Bowl (a 28-7 loss to Southern Mississippi) and 10 appearances the past two seasons on ESPN's family of networks have boosted the image of Ohio football.

"It's been big for us," Solich said. "We've been able to get into Florida and get some kids and some guys on the West Coast. They've seen us play.

"All of a sudden, there is knowledge that there is a football program at Ohio, and that it's starting to get things done."

 
While I'd like to see him invited back (just in recognition of his contributions to the program for 30 years), I understand why they wouldn't. That'd be kind of awkward, having the guy we fired hanging around for the spring game.

That said, I'm happy that Frank is doing well out at Ohio.

 
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