2008 Woodie Awards
Huskers look to regain swagger
Anthony Evans
Issue date: 12/4/03 Section: Sports
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Frank Solich has been a Husker ever since he played fullback for the Big Red back in 1964. He has devoted almost half his life to the Husker nation, and now Steve Pederson, athletic director, has announced that he has asked Solich to step down as head football coach, a position he has had for six years.
Pederson has been at Nebraska for only one year and already has decided that Solich isn't taking the program in the right direction. I agree with Pederson in this aspect.
The only reason Solich got to a National Championship is because of the recruits that Tom Osborne got when he was head coach. In Solich's six years as head coach at Nebraska, he was 58-19, but in his last 28 games he was 16-12. Many of his wins were against unranked teams, in fact he was only 1-8 against ranked teams on the road.
"The Huskers had two off seasons, the others were practically undefeated," Brenda Russell, Holcomb, Kan., said. "The only problem is that, the two seasons that were bad are with Frank's recruits. The first four years of Frank's career were with Tom Osborne's recruits, that's why he went to a national championship."
Jammal Lord was a product of Solich's recruiting and possibly the worst quarterback Nebraska has had since Steve Taylor. Lord could run the ball but he couldn't throw if his life depended on it. If Solich was a great head coach he would have placed Lord at a different position like wide receiver because he is a good athlete just not a quarterback.
Solich did a great job attempting to change things after last season by getting six new assistant coaches. Bo Pelini was a tremendous pick up for the Huskers, but this still didn't change anything for this year. The record shows 9-3, but if we look at those three losses, Nebraska lost by a total of 110-40 to Missouri, Texas and K-State. I don't think the Husker nation would mind those three loses if they were close, but it was the way they lost that is a concern.
Solich is a great person, don't get me wrong. It's just that he isn't cut out to be a head coach. I noticed that Craig Bohl, the previous defensive coordinator, wasn't going to be that great when he was coaching in 1999. Things really started to show when the defense fell apart against Colorado in 2001, giving up 62 points to the Buffaloes. The most in Cornhusker history.
Pederson has been at Nebraska for only one year and already has decided that Solich isn't taking the program in the right direction. I agree with Pederson in this aspect.
The only reason Solich got to a National Championship is because of the recruits that Tom Osborne got when he was head coach. In Solich's six years as head coach at Nebraska, he was 58-19, but in his last 28 games he was 16-12. Many of his wins were against unranked teams, in fact he was only 1-8 against ranked teams on the road.
"The Huskers had two off seasons, the others were practically undefeated," Brenda Russell, Holcomb, Kan., said. "The only problem is that, the two seasons that were bad are with Frank's recruits. The first four years of Frank's career were with Tom Osborne's recruits, that's why he went to a national championship."
Jammal Lord was a product of Solich's recruiting and possibly the worst quarterback Nebraska has had since Steve Taylor. Lord could run the ball but he couldn't throw if his life depended on it. If Solich was a great head coach he would have placed Lord at a different position like wide receiver because he is a good athlete just not a quarterback.
Solich did a great job attempting to change things after last season by getting six new assistant coaches. Bo Pelini was a tremendous pick up for the Huskers, but this still didn't change anything for this year. The record shows 9-3, but if we look at those three losses, Nebraska lost by a total of 110-40 to Missouri, Texas and K-State. I don't think the Husker nation would mind those three loses if they were close, but it was the way they lost that is a concern.
Solich is a great person, don't get me wrong. It's just that he isn't cut out to be a head coach. I noticed that Craig Bohl, the previous defensive coordinator, wasn't going to be that great when he was coaching in 1999. Things really started to show when the defense fell apart against Colorado in 2001, giving up 62 points to the Buffaloes. The most in Cornhusker history.