Nebraska, National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Honoring Frank Solich Saturday during Colorado Game

After staying away from Memorial Stadium for the better part of two decades, former Nebraska football player and coach Frank Solich will be making a second trip in as many years to his old stomping grounds.

Nebraska and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor 2024 College Football Hall of Fame electee Frank Solich with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments®. The Salute will take place this Saturday, Sept. 7, during the Cornhuskers’ home football game against Colorado, which will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CDT on NBC/Peacock.

“Frank Solich built a remarkable legacy at Nebraska and Ohio, ranking fourth in wins among active FBS head coaches at his retirement,” NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell said. “In just six seasons, he led Nebraska to a Big 12 title, three division crowns, three top-10 finishes, and a BCS Championship Game berth. We are excited to honor him at Memorial Stadium as part of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class on Sept. 7.”

During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, electees return to their respective school to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will stay on permanent display at the institution. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many Hall of Famers cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and be recognized in front of their home crowd.

Ranking fourth for most victories among active FBS head coaches at the time of his retirement in 2021, Solich notched an overall record of 173-101 for a 63.1 winning percentage during his 22 years as a head coach, including 58-19 (75.3%) during his six-year run with the Cornhuskers and 115-82 (58.4%) during his 16 years at Ohio.

Solich coached Nebraska to a Big 12 title (1999) and three Big 12 North Division titles (1999, 2000, 2001). The Cornhuskers posted at least nine wins in five of his six seasons as head coach, including a 12-1 record and No. 3 final ranking in 1999. He later led the Huskers to an 11-2 record and an appearance against Miami (FL) in the BCS National Championship Game at the 2002 Rose Bowl. He coached Nebraska to three top 10 finishes (No. 3 in 1999, No. 8 in 2000, No. 8 in 2001) and victories over Tennessee in the 2000 Fiesta Bowl and Northwestern in the 2000 Alamo Bowl.

The winningest coach in Mid-American Conference history with 115 overall wins, Solich led the Bobcats to four MAC East titles (2006, 2009, 2011, 2016), and his 77 conference wins rank second only behind College Football Hall of Fame coach Herb Deromedi, who posted 90 victories during his career at Central Michigan. He and Deromedi are tied at 16 years for longest tenured coach in MAC history. His 115 wins also rank second in Bobcat program history, only behind Don Peden who had 121 victories from 1924-46.

He coached 13 total First Team All-Americans, including College Football Hall of Fame inductee Eric Crouch at Nebraska, who won the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp National Player of the Year award and Davey O’Brien Award, and he coached seven Academic All-Americans, including 2000 NFF Campbell Trophy recipient Kyle Vanden Bosch. He coached 28 First Team All-Conference players at Nebraska and 31 at Ohio.

Solich served as an assistant at Nebraska from 1979-97, coaching the running backs, before becoming the head coach. As an assistant to Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne, Solich was part of the coaching staff on three national championship teams (1994, 1995, 1997), and he recruited and coached Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Mike Rozier.

Solich was also a three-year letterman at Nebraska (1963-65), playing fullback and serving as team captain for the 1965 season. He played on three Big Eight Championship teams (1963, 1964, 1965), and he was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame inductee as a player in 1992 and as a coach in 2012. He began his coaching career as a high school head coach in Nebraska for more than a decade.

The Cleveland, Ohio, product now becomes the first inductee ever from Ohio and the seventh coach from Nebraska to enter the Hall. From Nebraska, he joins Dana Bible, Bob Devaney, Lawrence “Biff” Jones, Tom Osborne, Edward Robinson and Fielding Yost.

The 2024 class includes Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State), the late Paul Cameron (UCLA), Tim Couch (Kentucky), Warrick Dunn (Florida State), Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State), Deon Figures (Colorado), Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh), Toby Gerhart (Stanford), Dan Hampton (Arkansas), Steve Hutchinson (Michigan), Antonio Langham (Alabama), Randy Moss (Marshall), Julius Peppers (North Carolina), Paul Posluszny (Penn State), Dewey Selmon (Oklahoma), Alex Smith (Utah), Kevin Smith (Texas A&M), Chris Ward (Ohio State), Danny Woodhead (Chadron State [NE]), and coaches Mark Dantonio (Cincinnati, Michigan State); Danny Hale (West Chester [PA], Bloomsburg [PA]); and Frank Solich (Nebraska, Ohio). 

The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the National Football Foundation’s 66th Annual Awards Dinner presented by Las Vegas on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

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