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Topic: Was Frank holding the program back?

Topic: Was Frank holding the program back?

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Bobcats1212
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Member Since: 4/10/2022
Post Count: 83

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Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/16/2023 9:09:56 PM

I get that we were terrible before Frank got here but he had ONE 10 win season in 15 years and Tim already has two in just three years. I think it’s a fair question.

L.C.
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Member Since: 8/31/2005
Location: United States
Post Count: 10,067

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RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/16/2023 10:07:34 PM

Frank did a tremendous job of improving the facilities, changing Ohio's reputation, and building a program, and in building a solid staff. I think that, down the stretch, his age hurt him from a recruiting standpoint, because players didn't know how much longer he would be coaching. As a result, I think that the talent tapered off towards the end. Albin has been doing a phenomenal job recruiting, and that is changing. I think we will continue to see a lot of young players moving up the depth chart quickly.

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus

ctb
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Member Since: 8/29/2014
Location: Ohio
Post Count: 92

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RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/16/2023 10:55:04 PM

Not at all, IMO. I think the program has a ton to thank Frank for. Look at where Ohio Football was at before him: outside of a couple of winning seasons in the Jim Grobe era, we hadn't had any success for nearly 30 years.

Frank came in and completely turned the program around. Only two losing seasons in his 16 seasons here (counting 2020). He made us a respectable program, and consistently good year in and year out. Like L.C. said, he did a tremendous job building a program and building a staff. And without Frank Solich, there's no Tim Albin.

Albin has simply been able to build on what Solich gave him.

Last Edited: 12/16/2023 11:26:00 PM by ctb

SBH
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 3,754

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RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/17/2023 7:55:58 AM

Bobcats1212 wrote:

I get that we were terrible before Frank got here but he had ONE 10 win season in 15 years and Tim already has two in just three years. I think it’s a fair question.

In his latter years, yes.

BobcatSports
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Member Since: 2/2/2006
Post Count: 1,068

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RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/17/2023 1:24:05 PM

Frank took OHIO from a punchline to respectability. He deserves OUr gratitude and respect and that his name adorns the field is fitting IMO.

Bobcats1212
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Member Since: 4/10/2022
Post Count: 83

Status: Offline

RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/17/2023 5:56:38 PM

BobcatSports wrote:

Frank took OHIO from a punchline to respectability. He deserves OUr gratitude and respect and that his name adorns the field is fitting IMO.

I mean it’s embarrassing to name the field after someone who never even won the conference.

Urban Bobcat
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Member Since: 9/14/2007
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 800

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RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/17/2023 7:33:50 PM

Bobcats1212 wrote:

BobcatSports wrote:

Frank took OHIO from a punchline to respectability. He deserves OUr gratitude and respect and that his name adorns the field is fitting IMO.

I mean it’s embarrassing to name the field after someone who never even won the conference.

Somehow even more embarrassing, since Frank is the winning-est coach in the MAC.

URBAN BOBCAT

L.C.
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Member Since: 8/31/2005
Location: United States
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RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/17/2023 9:20:43 PM

Bobcats1212 wrote:

BobcatSports wrote:

Frank took OHIO from a punchline to respectability. He deserves OUr gratitude and respect and that his name adorns the field is fitting IMO.

I mean it’s embarrassing to name the field after someone who never even won the conference.

Each person can decide what embarrasses them. Others may find different things that embarrass them, such as going for a decade with only 17 wins. Ohio is never going to be tOSU (and that's a good thing), so, for me, I look at the good and the bad, and don't get too hung up on the idea that "person A was the best coach ever." Rather, I ask, did they accomplish more good things than bad? Did they leave the program in a better condition than they found it in? I think it's kind of silly to have a dual name for the same place (Peden Stadium/Solich Field), but whatever. I hope they got a donation to make the dual name worthwhile, but otherwise, I really don't care.

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus

SBH
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 3,754

Status: Offline

RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/17/2023 10:22:46 PM

There was a decent amount raised for the naming of the field.

BryanHall
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Member Since: 9/11/2010
Post Count: 490

Status: Offline

RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/18/2023 7:19:03 PM

It is hard to compare records directly since the strength of the schedule can vary significantly. I used Sagarin's rankings to compare each year since 2009 (I excluded 2020). The 2023 ranking is before the bowl game so let's assume they will jump a few spots. Actually, some of Solich's best years were his final years. I don't see any evidence here that Solich was holding the program back. The program's highest-ranked years were Nathan and Tettleton's first two years, along with 2022.

Year Rank Rating Record Primary QB Coach
2023 87 65.7 10-3 KRourke Albin
2022 75 67.4 10-4 KRourke Albin
2021 132 56.3 3-9 KRourke/Rogers Albin

2019 82 65.7 7-6 NRourke Solich
2018 55 72.8 9-4 NRourke Solich
2017 64 70.1 9-4 NRourke Solich
2016 97 62.2 8-6 Windham/Maxwell Solich
2015 95 62.5 8-5 Vick/Sprague Solich
2014 135 54.9 6-6 Vick/Sprague Solich
2013 122 58.2 7-6 Tettleton Solich
2012 75 67.6 9-4 Tettleton Solich
2011 68 69.8 10-4 Tettleton Solich
2010 104 61.1 8-5 Boo Jackson Solich
2009 88 66.1 9-5 Theo Scott Solich

Bobcat1996
General User

Member Since: 1/2/2017
Post Count: 795

Status: Offline

RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/18/2023 8:50:23 PM

Since 2006, the football team has a better win percentage in regular season league games compared to the basketball team. I'd say Frank was a major part of that success.

Last Edited: 12/18/2023 8:51:32 PM by Bobcat1996

DC_United47
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Member Since: 7/23/2022
Post Count: 76

Status: Offline

RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/19/2023 2:51:16 PM

Frank brought the program relevancy. 15 years of sustained success. Albin has brought the program to a whole new level. Both can be true!

Campus Flow
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Alexandria, VA
Post Count: 4,952

Status: Offline

RE: Was Frank holding the program back?

Posted: 12/19/2023 7:18:43 PM

Its been a 30 year process of adding facilities and increasingly better coaches. The Grobe era was a big step forward with notable non-conference wins. Army, Maryland, Hawaii (that was big for a MAC school at that time). Minnesota too. The university didn't want to go into the future unprepared in football so it decided to build things up while things are stable.

MAC turned out to be stable for much longer and by Frank was dedicated to making Ohio into a conference power to go along with being a leading MAC instituion. Frank brought a lot of donations in the door early to renovate the tower and by staying gave Ohio the continuity to build up. The program's first bowl win was a big milestone to increase giving which culminated with the IPF and Sook Center.

Frank maybe should have retired after the Potato Bowl win in 2019. That could have moved the rebuilding process up a year for TA so 2022 would have gone more smoothly. TAs further success we might say has been partially attributable to the transfer portal. Social media has also evolved a lot since Frank first started and the ability to use that to the program's advantgae.

Gold plating (fancy new facilities) seems to be a thing of the past which can help Ohio with a more limited facility arm race capability. The university was able to take advantage of that era to make facilities respectable while they could before it was competing with NIL donations. If the NCAA moves to an opt-in superdivision that could help programs like Ohio stay competitive by offering some guaranteed NIL. Once again its unclear if the MAC would follow suit.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

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