Why was Frank Solich fired?

[Hercules]

I still find interesting to this date that TO handpicked Solich as his replacement. Ironically, TO is now our AD who would make the decision of hirings and firings. The second thing that I still find interesting is the fact that TO even stated he met with Clownahan and his staff when he was brought in as the interim AD. At that time, he told them his expectations which all came down to wins and losses. According to TO, Clownahan would still be our coach had he won the amount of games TO outlined for him. In all reality, Bo was TO's second choice for coach. It's somewhat likely that Bo wouldn't even be coaching in the college ranks if it weren't for Solich. It's funny how things come full circle sometimes.

The full circle part of this is odd/weird/ironic. I didn't know that Bo was TO's second choice. Who was his first? Kelly?

I don't know why TO picked Solich. Frank is a Husker to the core, always will be, but he never seemed like the right guy. It's too bad he ever got put into the position of being the Head Coach, because that was the decision that eventually led to his ouster from the program, and a "Husker Guy" like Solich shouldn't have been put in a position where he had to get fired like that. But the reality is that it wasn't working, for a lot of reasons, and Pederson was most definitely not willing to let it go until Frank figured it all out - if Frank figured it all out.

I wonder about that Callahan stuff. I know next to nothing about his regime, or TO's actual factual reasons for letting him go, but it seems like the wins/losses thing was an excuse. I can't imagine Tom came in, saw the condition the program was in, and had any real thoughts of keeping Callahan on past 2007 regardless of wins/losses. It's convenient that Callahan lost the way he did, from a PR standpoint, but I have to figure he would have been gone no matter what. Callahan was just never a Husker Guy, not in any sense of the phrase. Frank was, but wasn't "Head Coach at Nebraska" material. Turner is, but I'm not sure he's "HC@N" material right now.

I suppose I'm happy with Bo as HC right now, but all things considered, I'd rather not have gone through the Callahan Era to get here. Two mediocre seasons and two extremely embarrassing seasons just aren't worth this, nor is the end of the bowl streak, or any of the records we gave up.

Osborne said publicly that he laid out clear benchmarks for Callahan to keep his job:

Osborne fires Callahan

 

[knapplc]

Osborne said publicly that he laid out clear benchmarks for Callahan to keep his job:Osborne fires Callahan

I know about TO's comments - I read the paper too. I just don't buy that wins and losses are the only reason Callahan was fired, just like I don't buy that Bo still needs to evaluate his QBs because he can't figure out who his starter is.

There are things a program will state publicly that are palatable and convey the message that the program wants conveyed. These are not always the sum total of the facts, nor are they always truly factual to the situation.

 

[Hercules]

Osborne said publicly that he laid out clear benchmarks for Callahan to keep his job:Osborne fires Callahan

I know about TO's comments - I read the paper too. I just don't buy that wins and losses are the only reason Callahan was fired, just like I don't buy that Bo still needs to evaluate his QBs because he can't figure out who his starter is.

There are things a program will state publicly that are palatable and convey the message that the program wants conveyed. These are not always the sum total of the facts, nor are they always truly factual to the situation.

Osborne never said that wins and losses were the only items being considered. However, winning is the bottom line, and he laid out pretty clear guidelines for how Callahan would keep or lose his job. If Callahan wins enough, then culture/fit/whatever other reasons to fire Callahan there were don't come into play. However, Callahan didn't win enough to even merit considering to bring him back. He'd had two losing seasons, he was gone. Culture/fit didn't matter, he was losing. End of story. If Callahan had won 2 or 3 of his final 4 games, then it's a gray area and Osborne might have delved into all of the other issues surrounding the case, Callahan only won 1, and so it was pretty clear cut.

 

[knapplc]

Osborne never said that wins and losses were the only items being considered. However, winning is the bottom line, and he laid out pretty clear guidelines for how Callahan would keep or lose his job. If Callahan wins enough, then culture/fit/whatever other reasons to fire Callahan there were don't come into play. However, Callahan didn't win enough to even merit considering to bring him back. He'd had two losing seasons, he was gone. Culture/fit didn't matter, he was losing. End of story. If Callahan had won 2 or 3 of his final 4 games, then it's a gray area and Osborne might have delved into all of the other issues surrounding the case, Callahan only won 1, and so it was pretty clear cut.

There weren't enough wins to keep Callahan around. Tom talked extensively about the health of the program once he was hired, and it absolutely wasn't what he wanted. The losses simply made it easier to fire the guy from a PR standpoint.

 

[zoogs]

I mean, when Osborne had that meeting with Callahan, the only guarantee was to win the last 4 games of the season - all of them, and lose none.

A pretty tall order.

Agree with Hercules. I think if he had done that, he would have actually been retained. But at that point things had been messed up to the point where the bar needed to be set that high.

 

[NUpolo8]

Another big reason for Solich's downturn happened in 99, (A year where he coached himself out of a national title shot, no way Texas should have gotten over NU in the regular season.) When he named Newcombe the starting qb, Crouch threw a tantrum, quit, and ran home to mommy. Solich begged him to come back, and eventually gave him what he wanted. That was a great year, but he lost the respect of the team. 2000 and 2001 were rife with discipline problems.

 

[Hercules]

Another big reason for Solich's downturn happened in 99, (A year where he coached himself out of a national title shot, no way Texas should have gotten over NU in the regular season.) When he named Newcombe the starting qb, Crouch threw a tantrum, quit, and ran home to mommy. Solich begged him to come back, and eventually gave him what he wanted. That was a great year, but he lost the respect of the team. 2000 and 2001 were rife with discipline problems.

I always felt like the loss at Texas had more to do with Corell Buckhalter fumbling at the goalline, but I can't remember the game well enough to discuss Solich's coaching in it.

I do remember the Crouch-Newcombe controversy. I never really respected Crouch after that whole ordeal. It's too bad Newcombe hurt his knee in 1998, he was a stud before that happened.

 

[bleedNUred]

I appreciate all the responses but just now wish I had a ten dollar bill for all the wishes that Coach Osborne would retire so Coach Solich could take over the team. Remember? LOL.

And NOW, I remember grumbling to any would listen that Osborne had taken a national championship team and turned it into a pretty good team. I embarrass myself.

Ummmm.... what? Nobody was hoping that Osborne would retire in favor of Frank. The whole state was in shock when TO announced his retirement in 1997. Nobody wanted him to go, everyone wanted to see the ship keep sailing right along.

:yeah

 

[junior4949]

The full circle part of this is odd/weird/ironic. I didn't know that Bo was TO's second choice. Who was his first? Kelly?

Maybe I worded it incorrectly. Solich was TO's choice to replace him. Bo was TO's choice the second opportunity he had to name a coach for replacement. If he was so wrong on Solich, who's to say he won't be wrong again? If he is wrong for the second time, do we trust enough to give him a third opportunity?

 

[zoogs]

Depending on what conspiracy theories you believe, Bo might not even have been TO's choice as much as the booster's.

But AFAIK those were just crazy rumors from back in the day.

 

[REDSTEEL]

The only reason Solich had 9 wins in his last year was because of Bo's defense. I don't know about you guys, but I remember seeing a crappy offense being propped up by a good defense.

I think firing Solich was probably the right move, but hiring Callahan was the worst decision ever.

Then the Phrase that Nebraska better off then they were is not true. Since they are in the same situation of the defense saving a bad offense.

Callahan wasnt even in the PICTURE when Solich was let go the Stache was what Pederson has his sights on.

The problem was that Miami owner would'nt let him out of the contract and No good coach would want to work with a AD that would fire a HC that took his team number two in 1999 and a NC in 2001 and at the worst a 8 win season. No high expectations there. :facepalm:

 

[bshirt]

So we could show the nation how brilliant we are for firing Frank/Bo for a bowl winning 10 - 3 season. What other program in the nation (or really, in the galaxy) the would do that?

Even better, it then gave us the superb Callahan years. No doubt about it, it was a stroke of pure genius by the mighty Pedey.

 

[bshirt]

Solich's first 3 seasons of success (4 if you count 2001, tho i consider that season the beginning of the end) were mostly due to the talent remaining from the Osborne era. 98 was a mediocre season due to youth, inexperience and some key injuries, new qb etc etc. Remember the 99 and 2000 recruiting classes were not particularly impressive and quite a downfall in the talent coming in. Many scholarships were used up on walk on caliber talent cuz Solich could not "seal the deal" with top notch talent. By the end of 2001 and into the 2002 season, this lack of talent adn depth began to rear it's ugly face. I think some of the older coaches were beginning to struggle with the lack of talent (darlington, bohl, etc.) and the time came for them to go. Solich made the necassary changes after 2002 and 2003 showed a re energized coaching staff and team. Tho 2002 was doomed fromt he get go with a very VERY young team, it meant the 03 shoulda been better. I believe under Solich that what was a veteran 04 team woulda been a top ten team all year long, however that team looked horrible under a new system. Bottome line is we'll never what woulda been under Solich to this day. With Pelini as D.C. i think we woulda been a top 10 team consistently.

Very good post. I just disagree to a large extent about Solich's initial offensive talent. After 1997 we lost "five" pancaking Olinemen (4 starters & the top backup), A. Green & S. Frost. Effectively almost our whole offensive team. It was a struggle but still averaged over 40 points a game in 1998 (hard to believe, huh SW?). I most certainly fully agree we would have had MUCH, MUCH better seasons in 2004-7 if Pedey hadn't canned Frank/Bo.

Oh yes, I remember it well. The SAME EXCUSE used 100,000 times during the Callahan years....."no talent"...."Solich left the cupboard bare".....then we saw what Callahan did his 4th year with "his" great talent (yet ANOTHER losing season, massive blow out losses, etc). Then we saw what Bo did with Callahan's talent (winning season, bowl wins, etc).

We were extremely lucky to get TO back who THANK GOD got rid of Callahan and then brought back Bo to right the ship. Frank got a raw deal but that's the breaks.

 

[BigWillie]

Another big reason for Solich's downturn happened in 99, (A year where he coached himself out of a national title shot, no way Texas should have gotten over NU in the regular season.) When he named Newcombe the starting qb, Crouch threw a tantrum, quit, and ran home to mommy. Solich begged him to come back, and eventually gave him what he wanted. That was a great year, but he lost the respect of the team. 2000 and 2001 were rife with discipline problems.

The only thing is, from everything I heard about that situation, Crouch was head and shoulders above Newcombe. Crouch packed up to leave because he felt the coaching staff screwed him over and did not even give him a fair chance. It sounded very much like they didn't as the coaches seemed to favor their 'big' national recruit in Newcombe.

Depending on what conspiracy theories you believe, Bo might not even have been TO's choice as much as the booster's.

But AFAIK those were just crazy rumors from back in the day.

Boosters can be rather influential in decisions. I liked how influential they were in our coaching search.

 

[bshirt]

Another big reason for Solich's downturn happened in 99, (A year where he coached himself out of a national title shot, no way Texas should have gotten over NU in the regular season.) When he named Newcombe the starting qb, Crouch threw a tantrum, quit, and ran home to mommy. Solich begged him to come back, and eventually gave him what he wanted. That was a great year, but he lost the respect of the team. 2000 and 2001 were rife with discipline problems.

The only thing is, from everything I heard about that situation, Crouch was head and shoulders above Newcombe. Crouch packed up to leave because he felt the coaching staff screwed him over and did not even give him a fair chance. It sounded very much like they didn't as the coaches seemed to favor their 'big' national recruit in Newcombe.

Depending on what conspiracy theories you believe, Bo might not even have been TO's choice as much as the booster's.

But AFAIK those were just crazy rumors from back in the day.

Boosters can be rather influential in decisions. I liked how influential they were in our coaching search.

Yeah, that's what I heard too. Nuke got all the recruiting hype and was an very, very outstanding athlete. But as extremely good as Nuke really was Crouch on the field was just at another level. It's to bad we had them both at the same time as they were both great, great players.