[personal] [Husker] The only good thing

[Alan Siporin]

I think everyone in this Solich discussion have made good points. And
without disintegrating into petty insults. So we improved, even if the team
did not.

I would ask all of you to just consider a couple pieces of information that
you might have missed. First, remember that after four years Solich had just
played for that national championship, and two years earlier he lost only
one game. That 12-1 team was his best team but didn't get to play for the
title because of the goofy system. How much time and recruiting clout would
a national title in his second season have bought?

But I digress. What I find hard to fathom was that after the year that
Solich played for the national title, because he lost the last two games,
and by large margins, some people were already calling for his head.

Please think about this: If Solich had shaken up his staff after that year
he would have been seen as an idiot. Apparently, 12-1, 10-2, 11-2, having
gone 34-5 in a three year span is spectacular anywhere other than Nebraska.
But then he follows with the 7-7 year and realized he needs to improve
recruiting, among other things. And what happens? In just one year - NOT 5
or 6 years like people like to say - Solich and his new staff go from 7-7 to
10-3. Again. Amazing anywhere other than Lincoln.

His critics maintained is was recruiting. But everyone ignores the fact that
his class was rated 14th in the country by Rivals the day he was fired. Not
to mention, the Callahan lesson in stars and rankings.

Okay. Enough. My point in this rehash? I don't think it was clear at all
that Solich needed to go. In two more years he might have lost another
national championship game and be labeled the guy who can't win the big
game. (smile). Or he might have gone 500 again and firing would have been
more reasonable.