Athens, OH, was an exciting place to be this past year. While the basketball Bobcats grabbed the major headlines by defeating the #3 seed Georgetown Hoyas in one of the tournament's biggest upsets, the football team also turned in one of the best seasons in the program's last 30 years. The 9-5 record included close losses to BCS-conference foes UConn and Tennessee during the regular season, as well as the nail-biting 21-17 loss to Marshall in the Little Ceasar's Pizza Bowl.
Head coach Frank Solich is now entering his 6th season at OU after spending six years at the helm of Nebraska, and has high expectations for this year's Bobcats (who just wrapped up spring practice yesterday with their annual Spring Game). They return veteran quaterback Boo Jackson along with a host of starters, and are again challenging themselves with a difficult non-conference schedule, playing Ohio State and Marshall on the road in back-to-back weeks early in the season.
Coach Solich took some time recently to answer some questions about how he ended up at Nebraska, what he learned from the legendary Tom Osborne, and why he has enjoyed the Athens community.
Mike Seaman: You played high school football up in the Cleveland area. Why did you choose to go to Nebraska and play for coach Bob Devaney?
Frank Solich: Bob Devaney was a great recruiter and sold my parents and me on Nebraska being the right place for me. Nebraska scholarshipped another player from our team, and we decided to attend Nebraska together.
MS: You spent almost 20 years as an assistant to Tom Osborne. What did you learn from him that you still carry with you today at OU?
FS: Coach Osborne always put the program first in his decision-making. That is what I have tried to do in my career. I also learned from Tom that trust between coaches and athletes is critical.
MS: Your first home game as Ohio head coach was a win over the Pitt Panthers on national TV (16-10 win in overtime on a Friday night, ESPN-televised game). What are your memories of that first game in Athens?
FS: I thought it was a great win for our program. I was really proud of the program and the performance and what they did to get the game won. It was a sell-out crowd at Peden Stadium, and I remember the excitement coming down the stretch of that game and us being able to win at the end.
MS: You have had a lot of success at OU, playing in multiple MAC championship games and bowl games. What are your overall expectations for the next 2-3 years for this program?
FS: My expectations for the program is to continue to move the program forward. We have a very good collection of athletes, guys that are dedicated
year round to making themselves better and putting us in position to win football games. I think we have an excellent coaching staff, guys who are excellent teachers as well as recruiters. We are working at winning conference championships, bowl games, and to continue to graduate our players.
MS: What about Athens endears you to the community?
FS: I enjoy Athens. It offers the uniqueness of a small city, but with a large university it gives you a good mixture which benefits both the university and the community.
MS: You have been part of some great rivalries, both as a player and a coach. How do you compare the OU-Miami game to some of the other ones you have experienced?
FS: The Ohio-Miami rivalry is a great rivalry with an excellent tradition at both schools. I have been a part of other great rivalries and know that
these types of games are exciting for everyone involved – players, coaches, fans.
MS: Finally, just out of curiosity, do you still have a copy of the Sports Illustrated of when you appeared on the cover as a Nebraska player? (Quick note: Solich was the first Nebraska football player to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.)
FS: I do have a copy of that Sports Illustrated.
Good job, Mike!
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