Husker Mike May 15 08

Maybe Bo is just reopening old wounds, but in this case, I think it might just serve to finally heal those wounds to some degree. Solich isn't coming back, except perhaps to be honored for his contributions to the programs over five decades. Maybe that (combined with the clusterf* we experienced the last four years) finally allows Husker fans to put this behind us.

Brad May 15 08

Pelini has no credibility on this issue. When Solich was fired he just wanted Frank's job. He's singing Frank's praises now just to kiss up to his boss.

Don't think for a second that Osborne isn't behind this either because this is more about Osborne than Solich. Frank Solich was a huge disaster for our program once the Osborne talent was no longer covering up the damage he was doing.

brad May 15 08

People can b*tch about Callahan all they want, but he actually got our offensive and talent situations turned around. Sure the defense got worse, but he turned around two of the three areas that Solich drove into the ditch.

Furthermore, he at least applied for his job rather than having a friend give him a handout that he didn't deserve.

Curt May 15 08

Forget about kissing up to TO. By defending Solich BP is connecting his Nebraska with the Devaney/Osborne/Solich Nebraska (414-88-5). Which I, as one who does think Solich got the short end of the stick, appreciate hearing. Now all he has to do is live up to the hype...

bnahusker May 15 08

Come on Brad........... "he at least applied for his job rather than having a friend give him a handout that he didn't deserve."?! Pederson was out of candidates. Callahan didn't "deserve" the job any more than you or I. He was the 4th or 5th choice. Stevie botched that move from day one. I won't play the part of Solich apologist, even though he was my Drivers Ed teacher at Southeast, and I won't say that moving him out was bad or wrong. I will tell you that most football people know that our "Blackshirts" were at least 50% responsible for all 5 rings, and Callahan drove them past mediocrity, and straight to the dumpster.

Brad May 15 08

"Callahan drove them past mediocrity, and straight to the dumpster."

They were pathetic Solich's last two seasons two. The blackshirts have been varying shades of pathetic since Colorado in 2001.

Once and for all, I would just like some Church of Solich follower to answer this: Besides a link to the past, what was he offering us as a head coach to justify paying him? He sucked at managing recruiting, he couldn't run an offense to save his life once Osborne's players were gone, and our defense flat-lined under him, so WHAT WAS HE DOING THAT JUSTIFIED PAYING HIM TO BE A HEAD COACH?

Callahan at least gave us a usable offense and recruiting network.

donfl May 15 08

Brad, try this on for size: 10 and 3, tell me which of Callahans teams approached that? bnahusker had it correct, the blackshirts were why we were so successful. Bo showed what they could do one year after the disaster under Craig Bohl.

brad May 15 08

donfl = trying to avoid the question posed

Just an FYI there Don, but the only reason Solich got Pelini was because he was given an opportunity to gut nearly the entire staff after the program went off a cliff.

By the way, Pelini's defenses were excellent against Utah States of our schedule that year but three of the four good teams we played tore through us like we weren't even on the field.

So anyway, answer the question: WHAT WAS SOLICH OFFERING US TO JUSTIFY PAYING HIM TO BE HEAD COACH?

Brad May 15 08

NNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Times up.

Answer: Solich wasn't doing anything that justified paying him to be head coach. He was awful on offense, defense, and with recruiting. He was willing to throw the rest of the staff under the bus. He didn't even get hired legitimately.

If we ever need someone to beat the Utah States of the world we'll give him a call. Good riddance.

Mase May 15 08

Uhhhhh, I'd rather beat up the Utah State's of the world than get beat up by the Ball State's. Seriously, Callahan did a few things right, but fewer than Solich, so if you want to bash on him, you should also take a critical look at the guy who had two losing seasons out of 4, not the guy who went to the national title game. And don't blame Solich's recruits on two losing seasons. The vaunted 2005 class ranked unanimously in the top 5, but where was our team three years later...in the top 5? Not even close. In the top 25? Nope. In the top 50? Well, at least you're getting warmer...

Mase May 15 08

Oh, and Brad...sorry to break it to you, but your comments are gravitating toward mediocrity...

Greg Morrow May 15 08

Thanks, Curt, for the 414-88-5 reference point!
You get kinda detached from those type of stats after a few years.
Nebraska's many, many competitive teams had the ability to, on offense, sustain drives and catch teams "napping" with a big play. It's defenses sometimes bent, but rarely broke and gave the offense more chances than the other team's did. As Tom might say, "you win more games that way."
At the end of '03, Solich had a clean opportunity to continue to rebuild Nebraska's foundation, heading into '04. That got tossed, in one of the most unfair firings ever. Comically unfair. If you don't count Osborne's last 5 amazing seasons, his career winning percentage is about 5 points better than Solich's. Osborne's title run, distorts a normal perspective. It was an unprecedented run. (I would have thought he was the all time greatest Coach, anyway, without the championships.)
Solich's '03 team, was the last team to have a balance, offensively and defensively, at least athletically. Obviously, the offense was short on "options."
That said, Callahan's undoing was hiring his long time friend and associate, Cosgrove.
Even Craig Bohl, would have saved Callahan's job. At least Bolh's defenses put max effort in an attacking style.
Solich's skill talent did drop off, after '01. I'm sure many people detected weaknesses much further before that, but I took an understanding approach, like Osborne would have, if he was AD after he retired.
Those who want to implicate Osborne into some type of "intrigue," would have to insert him as "Puppet Master" over Pelini.
Only in Nebraska...

brad May 15 08

Why do people think this is about Solich versus Callahan? That's clearly all you guys can do is change the topic back Callahan. No one is talking about honoring Callahan at halftime next year.

Solich was a horrible head coach who was given his job because his friend twisted the AD's arm. He offered us absolutely nothing to justify paying him as a head coach.

I hope he stays in Ohio. At least he got his job legitimately there.

BUD May 15 08

Believe me guys, TO talked to Franky S. before hiring BO P. These guys all get along and will do anything to help cement each other Great legacies. BO P., too Carl P., from Franky S., at OU and I'm sure Franky S. was cool with that. There being old wounds is a stupid comment.

BUD May 15 08

One thing about Franky S. is he did coach a Heisman trophy winner and took us to our last National Championship game? That 99' team was also good enough to be there. Not a bad resume for any college football coach. and only 17 Ls

Mase May 15 08

Ok Brad, let's compare to Pelini...who's undefeated as head coach. Soooooo, that would, I guess, make him the best Nebraska football coach ever!

We compare Solich to Callahan because they were the two most recent coaches. Just like it's stupid to compare Pelini's record as a head coach to anyone, it's stupid to compare his recruiting to previous coaches either. The dude just started. He's got talent to work with, and you can say Callahan didn't but that's BS at least in part. We saw a number of ex-Solich recruits shine for Callahan (Cory Ross anyone? Others too). However, unlike Callahan, he's working with a banged up program coming off a losing record spurned from some of the worst performances in school history. Way worse than anything 2003 produced...

Is it any wonder 5 star recruits aren't lining up? My guess is just like any other year, Callahan would have had 2-3 of his top recruits bail on him down the stretch anyway. All "stars" aside, Solich got more out of his teams than Callahan on his best day. I don't care if he got 73 against the Mildcats, he could have scored 173 and not made up for giving up 76 to Kansas.

So, if Solich wasn't worth his paycheck, then I guess Callahan should have been paying us...and Pelini, the worst you can say about him is that the jury is still out. If Callahan got 4 years, he gets at least that many.

ze bop May 16 08

Gosh, I was so over the Franky topic about 2 yrs ago, but I guess it deserves a slight revisit since BO's been making references to him.

First of all, I dont think Bo's bringing up the Frank issue is particularly insincere or contrived. I think BO is a straight shooter and is just speaking his mind about Frank as the coach of NE, i.e., that he thought Frank was an excellent coach and didnt deserve to be fired.

I don't think he's trying to suck up to OZ and I dont think he was all pissed off because he didnt get the HC call after Frank got the ax. I think he had a professional attitude during that whole thing, at least that's how he has described it, and could pretty much see that Pedey was headed in another direction.

Sure he wanted to be an HC then, but I dont think he was too disappointed in having to pay his dues awhile longer at OU and LSU.

Maybe the only ulterior motive I can see for him bringing up the Frank topic IS to sort of revitalize the sense of loyalty and tradition at NE, that is, that NE has historically tended to take care of it's own.

But mainly, as I said, I just think he thought Frank was a good coach and appreciated the opportunity given to him by Frank.

As for Frank as HC at NE, the main thing that I do think was a legit weakness was the recruiting thing, I mean, nationally he was pretty much a no name sorta guy--hidden in the long shadow cast by OZ--not that recognizable to star recruits.

I remember when David Horne was billed as the next rb recruit and then when he became the starter for a time, and I was just cringing, like "is this the beginning of the end"?

So Frank DID have a pretty respectable overall record given the dirth of talent and after he revamped his asst. coach lineup and went 10-3 and we went to the NC game, it is possible that he may have turned the corner on his anonimity thereby improving the recruiting and successfully navigated 'RESTORE THE ORDER I'.

But by that time, the decision to fire him was more or less a foregone conclusion from the previous year initiated by Bill Byrne, then consummated by Pedey, who pretty much wanted to go in a different direction anyway. It was complicated.

doombob May 16 08

No comment. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

Scott May 16 08

Part of the problem....some fans and media. Why? Because the media writes the crap then some fans buy into it and then they spend 12 months out of 12 discussing who really is responsible for bringing down Husker football. Who cares? It happens. It happens to a lot of programs. Nebraska isn't the only team to go through something like this. Also, the teams that have been consistently at the top of the rankings the last few years haven't always been there either.

NU fans should feel lucky at the run they had back in the 90's.

You guys want to know why Pelini is thanking Solich? He gave him an opportunity in college football. That's it. He gave him an opportunity.

One more thing for those that are talking smack back and forth on here....Pelini is doing the same thing you guys are...giving an opinion. Respect it.

Paul May 16 08

Dr. Tom Osborne is a great man, a great coach and like most Nebraskans, I have loads of respect for him. However, one thing I've never heard anyone talk (or write) about, is the big mistake he made in hand-picking his successor. To be fair, it was Bill Byrne's decision, but after three national championships in four years, Osborne had earned the opportunity to make the call. And it was a bad one.

Franbk Solich is also a great man and was a fine assistant coach, but as a head coach, he was in over his head. He was painfully inarticulate, which had to contribute to losing a number of coveted recruits. How positive could a parent have felt about sending his or her son to an institution of higher learning where the head coach has trouble constructing a sentence?

Time will tell, however, I think Osborne hit a home run. But there's one thing that concerns me, just a little. Assuming the Pelini era is as successful as we all hope will be, what is the possibility of our beloved head coach pulling a "Dave Van Horn?" Bo's an Ohio guy. What happens when Jim Tressel calls it a career at Ohio State? Oh well, let's worry about 2008 first.

brad May 16 08

If Osborne had hired Solich again in 2007 99% of the people pretending Frank was this awesome head coach would crap a bowflex and kiss our program goodbye. There's so much blind lying that goes on for Frank just because the great Osborne wills it.

The capacity for independent thought in our fan base is astonishingly low. It's complete mob mentality, and whatever the current mob leader says goes, facts-be-damned.

Husker Mike May 16 08

Well, we listened to guys like Brad for five years (starting in 2002) about how horrible Frank Solich was. Then in 2004, we began to realize just what horrible was...and it wasn't Frank Solich, either.

Solich had his issues, to be sure. Did he address them in 2003 when he revamped his staff? I'd offer a qualified yes...qualified in that the staff Solich hired in 2003 had less than one year on the job before they were dismissed.

A lot of people want to point out Solich for being a bad recruiter. Mkay. What do they base it on? The 2002 and 2003 rankings, for the most part. OK, but at least be complete. What were the rankings before 2002? And what were the rankings when Solich was fired?

Kind of funny that David Horne entered this conversation. Wasn't Horne a highly rated prospect coming out of high school?

If you want to complain about the talent level, talk about the players that went on to the NFL. Solich's teams did pretty well in that regard.

Simply screaming "Solich Sucked" over and over isn't going to convince anybody, Brad.

Curt May 16 08

WHAT WAS SOLICH OFFERING US TO JUSTIFY PAYING HIM TO BE HEAD COACH? Good question with an easy answer...passion and continuity.

We all saw Frank’s offensive play calling that did anything but surprise the opponent. We saw his defenses not perform at expected Blackshirt levels. We saw his recruiting classes come in at marginal levels.

We also saw this…Frank turnover the play calling to Barney Cotton…the defense to Bo Pelini…and a passion within the program that has been missing since he was fired.

So while easy to knock “Fearless Frankie� for his lack of a national championship he was clearly doing what he was paid to do…make decisions…and he made them at a rate of 58-19 and a national title game.

Whether he was the BEST choice as head coach we’ll never know but given the demise of Nebraska football since his firing he clearly wasn’t the worst choice…and I’m not hearing any complaints from Ohio University about their first conference title in over 40 years.

While I don’t want to get into the Solich/Callahan comparisons I feel obligated to say this…Callahan was certainly a capable decision-maker and no doubt if he weren’t fired we’d have a new defensive coordinator this year. So, out of the two most recent NU football coaches both were clearly able to make the decisions necessary to be a head coach but only one brought (or was even interested in) the passion and continuity that sustains Nebraska football.

Mase May 16 08

Here's an independent thought, we already said goodbye to our program...we're just hoping to be able to say "Hello, welcome back!" as early as this fall. I mean, is there anything that remotely resembled Husker football at the end of last season, other than the packed house and the uniforms? I'm surprised Callahan/Peterson didn't try to change the team's colors while they were at it.

Nobody's putting Solich on their shoulders, just trying to defend the guy a little. I mean, the team made accomplishments under his lead. Either way, I think we can all admit that the timing of his firing was horrible, and was a likely catalyst for an exponential decline in the program. Fire the guy after 7-7...not after revamping the staff and getting a little momentum going. It's almost unbelievable.

Those are the things that bother me the most. The timing and execution of the firing, and the changes made afterward, mostly for the worst.

bnahusker May 16 08

Ok Brad, I'll take the bait, even tough I'm not a member of your Church of Frank.

Solich played, worked, studied, coached and learned Husker Football under Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne for thirty some years. He was also a successful High School Head Coach in Omaha, and at Southeast in Lincoln. Two State Titles?

When Solich was promoted he offered:
1) Knowledge of the game.
2) Passion for the game and the institution.
3) A successful history in his chosen field.

Knowledge, ability, passion, proven history,

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Sounds like an HR person's dream candidate.

Things’ not working out doesn’t mean that the person wasn't qualified.

Have a great weekend all!

GBR

Bob

brad May 16 08

Homer Mike,

He couldn't run an offense, he couldn't run a defense, and even a complete homer like you isn't dumb enough not to understand why we dropped off the second Osborne's players left...talent.

We had six lousy Solich classes and the first two devastated him and the last four devastated Callahan. Callahan had his problems, but he improved our offense and recruiting, whoever was following Frank's scorched earth of talent was probably going to fail.

Thank god Frank's last class just graduated (2004).

Guys like Homer Mike can't hide from the fact that he couldn't coach offense, defense, or recruit...which is exactly why no one wanted him when he was fired and why no one wants him now.

bnahusker May 16 08

P.S. to Steve Hanway...........

Aren't you glad you posted yesterday?!

Anyway.........."We'll all stick together...."

GBR

Bob

Curt May 16 08

Brad, I just read your last post..."It's complete mob mentality, and whatever the current mob leader says goes, facts-be-damned."

You're postings make less and less sense...what facts???!!! Give me facts if you're going to indict someone!!

brad May 16 08

bnahusker,

I appreciate that you're the first guy who didn't try to run from that question or deflect it back to Callahan.

As for your answer:

1) He was a good running backs coach and that's it. His offenses were terrible when he didn't have Osborne players.

2) So does every other Husker fan.

3) Yes, AS A RUNNING BACKS COACH AND HIGH SCHOOL COACH.

Hi, I'm Frank Solich. I've coached running backs and I'm friends with Tom Osborne, can I take over every aspect of the whole team?

LOL. With stupidity like that in our decision-making we deserved to fall apart.

bnahusker May 16 08

Brad,

Your LOL at the end of your email makes me wonder if Bo should have been hired.

Should a guy who has never risen above a coordinators position, a guy who was fired after just one game as Head Coach, be hired to run a program as prestigious as ours?

Just Curious.

GBR

Bob

brad May 16 08

"Should a guy who has never risen above a coordinators position, a guy who was fired after just one game as Head Coach, be hired to run a program as prestigious as ours?"

People hire from DC and OC coordinator positions all the time for head coaches. That's fine.

Simultaneously promoting a guy to be offensive coordinator AND head coach in the Big 12 when all you really know is that he is a good running backs coach is retarded, and it blew up in our face just like it should have.

brad May 16 08

I think it's funny that Frank's jobs were to run the offense as the OC and run the rest of the team, including recruiting, as the head coach.

Well the offense tanked, so did the defense, and our talent went off a cliff, so what did Frank do? Throws six other assistants under the bus to save himself.

Yep, good ol' Frank "Husker way" Solich

scott May 16 08

Hey Brad,

Your last name wouldn't happen to be Callahan or Pedersen would it? If not, are you thinking of changing it?

scott May 16 08

Okay sorry Brad...bad comment. Only a joke.

You made a comment earlier about why we're comparing Solich to Callahan? To me it sounds like you're trying to compare Solich to Osborne and Devaney.

Curt May 16 08

"Well the offense tanked, so did the defense, and our talent went off a cliff, so what did Frank do? Throws six other assistants under the bus to save himself."

Are you suggesting he should have quit so the assistants could stay?? I didn't know Craig Bohl's defenses had such a huge following...

ze bop May 17 08

I see that Husker Fan just 'can't quit you Frankie'.

Well, I don't think there are any clear conclusions to this whole issue: if Frankie and Craig Bohl were such bad coaches, why are they doing so well at their respective lower eschelon schools?

Any way you slice it, 58-19 is not a bad record, and for the most part during those years, NE was still beating most of the teams it was supposed to--KU, ISU, MU, OSU...blah blah...

The main shock under Solich/Bohl was the CU game where they rolled up 62 that year. No one had scored those kind of points on Big Red for the previous 30 yrs, though I remember GT getting like 52 back in '91 or something, and I seem to recall Switzer putting up 30-40 something a few times.

But this was Colorado, and at the time NE Fan still considered the Puffs our whipping boy, and no way in god's creation could anyone have dreamed of them putting up 62.

That seemed to start the slide in our D and I think it was the following year under BO that Mizzou put up 40 something and KSU near 40 or so.

Nonetheless that one year under BO the D overall seemed to have that old swagger and NE went 10-3.

So, I guess I still blame the recruiting fall off under Frank as the main problem. Really, rgdg skill players, NE hasn't put a good back in the League since Ahman Green, though C. Buckhalter is still going I guess. Other than that, probably the best player Frank had was Eric Crouch, and we all know how that has gone.

Well, at least Frank and Crouch beat the Sooners that one time....

donfl May 17 08

Hey Steve, I guess you knew this posting was gonna get some responses, but you must not have realized the embers were still smoldering in Brad's ashpit and you reignited them. Thanks for giving us all the op to sound off. GBR.

innmc May 18 08

Going back through the dicussion above let's see it's Brad, Brad, Brad, Brad, Brad, Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad,

Too bad Brad, it's tough I know

what I wouldn't give to have the last four years with Frank & Bo instead of what we ended up with