Saturday Blitz
Fansided

10 College football coaches who probably didn’t deserve to be fired

By Michael Collins

Oct 3, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt reacts during the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt reacts during the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 11
Next
Oct 10, 2015; Athens, OH, USA; Ohio Bobcats head coach Frank Solich looks on from the sidelines in the second half against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Peden Stadium. The Bobcats won 34-3. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2015; Athens, OH, USA; Ohio Bobcats head coach Frank Solich looks on from the sidelines in the second half against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Peden Stadium. The Bobcats won 34-3. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 6: Frank Solich – Nebraska, 2003

Head Coaching Years: 1998-2003
Overall record with school: 58-19
Reason for dismissal: Job performance

Much like Richt in 2015, Frank Solich found himself having success, just not the right kind, and it cost him his job with the Cornhuskers in 2003.

Had the Big Red nation known what was to come with the middling Bill Callahan and volatile Bo Pelini at the helm, they might have opted to keep Solich around for a bit longer. Now under second year coach Mike Riley, the Cornhuskers are still a work in progress.

Despite winning more games than both Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne, Solich came under heavy criticism for only winning one conference title in his six years, and was blamed for the drop-off in offensive production in a conference that was seeing a steady increase in both points and yardage.

Nothing can be certain, but it seems that those in power in Lincoln jumped the gun while salivating for NFL seasoned coaches to bring their program back to prominence. Sometimes good things have to be built slowly, and results-driven hiring and firing can (and did) backfire.

Solich has since moved on to Ohio University, where he’s had moderate success, while Nebraska has floundered and is once again building under a new coach.

Next: Auburn

Home/College Football News