By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Frank Solich, fired Nov. 29 as head football coach at Nebraska, is on the University of Cincinnati's list of candidates to replace Rick Minter.

And apparently the interest is mutual.

Ex-Nebraska coach Frank Solich may be a candidate to replace Rick Minter at UC. (AP/file photo)

"That's not a bad name, is it?" athletic director Bob Goin said Monday when asked about Solich. "I'm thinking that we're going to go through our process and if his name is there, it would have to surface as a very viable candidate."

Asked if Solich's name was on UC's list, Goin said, "I think it is."

He would not say if UC had contacted Solich about the job.

Solich declined to comment specifically about UC, but said he definitely wants to be a head coach again. Last week he withdrew from consideration for the Army job.

Solich, 59, would provide instant credibility to the UC program, which will enter the Big East Conference in 2005. He was fired after posting a 9-3 record this year and was 58-19 in six seasons as head coach at Nebraska, where he was Tom Osborne's hand-picked successor.

He was Big 12 Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2001. His team won the Big 12 championship in 1999 and played for the national title after the 2001 season.

In 2002, the Cornhuskers were 7-7, their worst season since 1961.

On Monday, UC announced the formation of an evaluation committee that will be headed by Dan Acosta, dean of UC's College of Pharmacy. The committee will review the list of candidates submitted by the screening committee and establish an interview process.

The other committee members are Ken Byers, president of Ken Byers and Associates and a former NFL and UC player; Mike Dever, president of Performance Automotive Network and a former president of UCATS; Don Grafner, executive director of the UC Foundation; Dr. Nancy Hamant, UC's faculty athletic representative; Bruce Ivory, associate athletic director/compliance; Dan Macejko, executive director of UC Alumni Affairs; and Ron Ricks, student government president.

"The best way to do (the search) is to not categorize who's the hottest guys. It's all fit, who's the best fit for this position," Goin said.

Asked if Solich would be a good fit, Goin said, "He would fit. I've only heard great things about Frank Solich."

Solich, born in Johnstown, Pa., has Ohio ties. He grew up in Cleveland, where he was an all-state and all-America running back at Holy Name High School.

It's kind of interesting, isn't it?" Goin said.

Frank Solich file

Born: Sept. 8, 1944, Johnstown, Pa.

High school: Holy Name, Cleveland.

College: Nebraska, 1966 (B.S.); Nebraska, 1972 (M. Ed.).

Coaching experience: Holy Name (Neb.) High School (1966-68); Southeast (Neb.) High School (1968-79); Nebraska freshman coach (1979-82); running backs coach (1983-97); assistant head coach (1991-97); head coach (1998-2003).

Nebraska record: 58-19, six seasons

Year-by-year

Year	Record	Final AP ranking
2003	9-3	22
2002	7-7	-
2001	11-2	8
2000	10-2	8
1999	12-1	3
1998	9-4	19