Former University of Nebraska-Lincoln football coach Frank Solich was back in Nebraska Tuesday to accept the Tom Osborne Legacy Award.
Solich has spent the past 14 years as head coach of the Ohio University football team. He was fired after his sixth season with the Huskers. Under Solich's leadership, the Ohio Bobcats have gone 106 and 75.
Solich has made few public appearances in Nebraska since he was fired. He said he hasn’t intentionally stayed away.
"It's great to be, it's great to be back. I appreciate the fact that Coach Osborne's legacy award has been extended to me, and obviously anything with his name attached to it is special," Solich said.
After Solich was fired things took a downturn for Nebraska football. Some fans questioned the decision.
Solich says he wasn’t shocked to be fired.
"You don't have it happen the way it happened for Coach Osborne all the time in the game. You know, there's a lot of people that no matter what you get done, want it to be a little bit better and I understand that you know, that's the nature of the business," Solich said.
Solich says things are looking up again for the Huskers under head coach Scott Frost. Solich says he’s known Frost a long time, first through Frost’s dad, and then as a player.
"He's a tremendous competitor, a tremendous athlete. I think he'll be a great coach for Nebraska. He understands the game really well. He understands the recruiting process, he, I think, he's a bright coach, so I think it'll all fit," Solich said.
Solich’s long career has earned him respect from the college football world. Monday, he was named the 2019 president of the American Football Coaches Association.
Solich will be honored Wednesday at a dinner along with Outland Trophy winner Quinnen Williams, a lineman for the Alabama Crimson Tide.