Having Buckhalter paid off as his 136-yard rushing effort off the bench for the injured Dan Alexander in the Big 12 title game was key. For an 11-1 season that earned him Big 12 coach of the year honors from both the media and the league's coaches, Solich has weathered his share of criticism. Solich has taken most of it in stride. He said he understands that criticism comes with the job at a high-profile football powerhouse like Nebraska. We feel like we've had a good season with just the one loss, but at Nebraska, that's not quite what you're after.
People are after an undefeated season.
It didn't help Solich's cause that Osborne won three national titles in his last four years before retiring after the 1997 season. Although Osborne is now considered an icon in Nebraska, he too was widely criticized in the early years of his career because he couldn't win the big one, which usually meant the annual showdown against Oklahoma. Like Solich, Osborne could thank his predecessor, the late Bob Devaney, for setting standards high. Devaney, who developed the program into a consistent winner, won two national titles in his last three years before passing the torch to Osborne after the 1972 season. Texas coach Mack Brown said he understands the trials Solich must face on an almost weekly basis during the season.