Frank Solich Hall of Fame Vote ...should he?

[HuskerGene]

I think had he been great at Ohio he would have had other offers. For sure limited because he was 59 IIRC when he left NU, but no one was looking to pick him then either.

Great guy, fantastic assistant coach, just not a great head coach.

Is that not coaching? He gets props for being a great assistant also.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

Or maybe Frank wanted to stay after how he was shafted at NU? Look at Fitz at NW. I am sure he could have gone somewhere else. He chose not to. Come on HWM.

Come on, Philly -- where are we going?

Frank actually has many similarities with Gary Pinkel.

Pinkel coached 25 years, career winning percentage of 0.633 (137th all-time). 10 years at Toledo, 15 at Missouri. MAC and Big 12. One conference championship.

Solich coached 22 years, career winning percentage of 0.631 (140th all-time). MAC and Big 12. One conference championship.

We mentioned Pinkel here a year ago, as he was up for the HOF ballot. I seem to recall a consensus believing he wasn't worthy. Yet his numbers and history are very similar to Frank's. Well, Pinkel was elected into the HOF -- so I tend to think Frank will as well. I'm personally one who would prefers hall of fame to be much more exclusive. Both Pinkel and Solich averaged less than 1 conference championship per 20 years. To me, that's not hall of fame material. Neither Pinkel nor Solich make me think of legends of the sport -- which is, imo, what a hall of fame should be about. To each their own, of course.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

Those guys were all younger and starting out their careers. Frankie wasn't gonna get many offers at his age.

No debate. They were younger. But I really think at least as much as age, there many skeptics that Frank's offense was a dying breed among P5 programs. I think he found a good home in Athens. I recall Army also having interest. Another place Frank could have done well at.

 

[NU_Alum]

Is that not coaching? He gets props for being a great assistant also.

Do assistant coaches get into the HOF? Serious question.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Bingo. Urb was a fast riser. Bo was a generational coach. Campbell is also a fast riser. I think Doeren also ends up at a bigger school. He may have even been our coach. Frank all day over Pinkel. All day.

You could argue Solich was a better coach but it's not as clear cut as you are making it IMO. PInkel had a better bowl record, a better winning percentage overall, more total wins (30 more in 3 more coached seasons), and Pinkle didn't have the benefit of taking over a team that just won 3 national titles in 4 years.

 

[Farmer Jake]

Those guys were all younger and starting out their careers. Frankie wasn't gonna get many offers at his age.

No debate. They were younger. But I really think at least as much as age, there many skeptics that Frank's offense was a dying breed among P5 programs. I think he found a good home in Athens. I recall Army also having interest. Another place Frank could have done well at.

I was thinking the same thing about Army. Didn't that offer from Army come within the first month or so after Pedey's dirty deed? I thought Frankie decided to take a year off. (No links, just relying on my failing memory).

 

[HuskerGene]

Do assistant coaches get into the HOF? Serious question.

I'm not sure but you are missing or avoiding my point. Frank was a head coach with an outstanding resume as an assistant. That is part of the total package.

He was also 19-1 as the Freshman head coach.

 

[cthusker]

Don’t think his coaching record makes the grade for HOF imo. Having said that it certainly wouldn’t bother me if he did get in. Given the opportunity to have kept coaching at Nebraska I do believe we would not have fallen as far as we have the past 20 years. Peddy screwed Frank in so many ways and he certainly didn’t deserve any of it.

 

[NU_Alum]

I'm not sure but you are missing or avoiding my point. Frank was a head coach with an outstanding resume as an assistant. That is part of the total package.

He was also 19-1 as the Freshman head coach.

Does that assistant resume count though? I mean he was one piece of a machine run by one of the best cfb HC's ever.

His HC record is very underwhelming. 1 conference title in 20+ years and that includes taking over the best dynasty maybe ever.

He couldn't even win the MAC conference once.

 

[NU_Alum]

Don’t think his coaching record makes the grade for HOF imo. Having said that it certainly wouldn’t bother me if he did get in. Given the opportunity to have kept coaching at Nebraska I do believe we would not have fallen as far as we have the past 20 years. Peddy screwed Frank in so many ways and he certainly didn’t deserve any of it.

I don't know that frank makes it 4 more years at Nebraska. Great person, great assistant, just not a great hc. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Phillysker]

Come on, Philly -- where are we going?

Frank actually has many similarities with Gary Pinkel.

Pinkel coached 25 years, career winning percentage of 0.633 (137th all-time). 10 years at Toledo, 15 at Missouri. MAC and Big 12. One conference championship.

Solich coached 22 years, career winning percentage of 0.631 (140th all-time). MAC and Big 12. One conference championship.

We mentioned Pinkel here a year ago, as he was up for the HOF ballot. I seem to recall a consensus believing he wasn't worthy. Yet his numbers and history are very similar to Frank's. Well, Pinkel was elected into the HOF -- so I tend to think Frank will as well. I'm personally one who would prefers hall of fame to be much more exclusive. Both Pinkel and Solich averaged less than 1 conference championship per 20 years. To me, that's not hall of fame material. Neither Pinkel nor Solich make me think of legends of the sport -- which is, imo, what a hall of fame should be about. To each their own, of course.

So if Pinkel was elected why not Frank? Confused. The bars been set

 

[Phillysker]

You could argue Solich was a better coach but it's not as clear cut as you are making it IMO. PInkel had a better bowl record, a better winning percentage overall, more total wins (30 more in 3 more coached seasons), and Pinkle didn't have the benefit of taking over a team that just won 3 national titles in 4 years.

Their records are almost identical as HWM said. I agree with your last point. But Pinkel is in. So why shouldn't Solich. You made my point for me Turd

 

[Phillysker]

I think there is a lot of truth here. Frank was a very capable coach. What he did at Ohio was pretty good, compared to his predecessors. And yeah, I don't think he was looking to leave. I think in order for him to earn HOF, he would need to get Ohio to the same point Cincinnati got, where they were asked into an elite conference

I agree with most of this post except the last. Cincinnati has had some history of being a power digging deep in their history. Ohio? Mehhhhh. I think Frank's record at Ohio gets him a look. I still say if he stayed at NU he betters his record than what he had at Ohio. Doubt he wins a Natty.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Their records are almost identical as HWM said. I agree with your last point. But Pinkel is in. So why shouldn't Solich. You made my point for me Turd

So because Pinkel didn't deserve to be in the HOF but was voted in, Solich should be too? Not the best reason for someone to be in the HOF...

 

[Phillysker]

So because Pinkel didn't deserve to be in the HOF but was voted in, Solich should be too? Not the best reason for someone to be in the HOF...

No. I hate the weasel Pinkel. But his induction, right or wrong, like it or not, sets the bar