He went 58-19 in six seasons. Played for a national championship. Coached a Heisman Trophy winner. Won at least 10 games three times. And got fired.

So, yes, Frank Solich understands the pressure on Illinois coach Ron Zook.

"Everybody catches heat in this business at some time in your career," Solich said. "That's just the way it is. At one point, Coach (Tom) Osborne was catching an awful lot of heat. Couldn't beat Oklahoma. Couldn't win the big one. Couldn't win bowl games. Before him, Bob Devaney caught a little bit of heat when we had two 6-4 seasons back to back. It's just part of the game."

Solich followed Devaney and Osborne as the head coach at Nebraska. In the four seasons before he took over, the school had won three national titles. It was like trying to replace John Wooden at UCLA or Bear Bryant at Alabama. Short of winning more titles, nothing was going to be good enough.

Zook has Solich's support. Unquestionably.

"Coach Zook has been about establishing a program the right way and that doesn't come overnight," Solich said. "That is not an easy thing to do. I think he's done an excellent job there and will continue to have the program grow."

The coaches aren't given as much time to succeed as they were in the 1970s and '80s. And if you follow a great season with a couple of down years, you better turn it back in a hurry.

"College football is such a big part of the entertainment business," Solich said. "People love it so much that they get so involved in it and pretty soon they think they are coaches. You get critiqued on almost everything you do. The salaries are big and the fact that there are a lot of ADs out there that want instant success. Put those things together and it usually makes for an explosive situation. College football coaching is that way."

After losing his dream job at Nebraska in 2003, Solich has found a second coaching life at Ohio.

"It's been a ride that I've enjoyed," Solich said. "And we've got a ways to go. But we are moving forward. I like the attitude of the players in our program and our coaches. And I think we've got a chance to continue to put some winning seasons together."

Solich shared some of his insights during Friday's Illinois High School Football Coaches Association clinic.

"Obviously, I've got a number of years in the profession," Solich said. "I talk to them on a philosophical approach as far as what we're all about. What we're doing offensively and defensively. I try to relate things to them that I think would be pertinent to them."

Solich and the Bobcats are in the middle of their spring drills. He scheduled the workouts so he could be in Champaign-Urbana on Friday.

"I wouldn't have taken this kind of speaking engagement to go just anywhere," Solich said. "It's something that I don't normally do."

Coaching at Ohio has worked just fine for Solich. In five seasons, he's led the Bobcats to two bowl games. This at a school that had two bowl appearances in the previous 109 years. Solich is 32-31 overall in Athens, with two nine-win seasons. Beyond respectable when you consider Solich inherited a team that went 11-35 the four years before he arrived.

"We're hoping we can get the corner turned here and be able to win with regularity," Solich said. "We've gotten more depth in the system than we've ever had, so we're hoping that all plays out to be a positive for us."

Friday's trip to C-U was the first for Solich since his Bobcats beat Zook's Illini in 2006. The 20-17 win was part of a turning point for the Ohio program. The Bobcats finished 9-5 in 2006, earning the school's first bowl bid in 38 years.

"It was a big ballgame for us to be able to pull out," Solich said. "We've got a great deal of respect for the Big Ten and Illinois."

Solich hasn't asked the Illini to return the game to Athens. Not yet.

"We're not putting the same numbers in the stands as Illinois is," Solich said. "I'm looking forward to next year and I'm not getting too far beyond that. If we can sneak in there and get a win and not have to play them again, I'm OK with that, too."

It's no longer a surprise when a MAC school goes to a Big Ten stadium and "sneaks away with a win." Ohio has done it. Northern Illinois has done it. Toledo has done it. And more wins are on the way.

Solich has already recognized the abilities of the non-BCS leagues. Now, he lives it week to week.

Boise State, Utah and TCU have raised the expectations for the non-BCSers.

"There are a lot of things that have to go right," Solich said. "To their credit, they have been able to put it all together and make it all work.

"Everybody has those dreams and aspirations."

Solich had those dreams and aspirations at Nebraska, his alma mater. But it didn't work out. After he left, it got worse.

The athletic director who fired him hired Bill Callahan. In his first year, Callahan coached the team to its first losing season since 1961. Solich took some of the blame. Three years later, in the middle of Callahan's final season, the athletic director was replaced by Osborne. And Osborne fired Callahan.

Solich could be laughing at his former school's misfortune, but that hasn't happened.

"I've got a good relationship with the coaches and a number of people in the state of Nebraska," Solich said. "I want to see them have success. Obviously, Coach Osborne was huge in my career and I'm glad to see him back in charge there. They are getting things done right and I'm pulling them."

Bob Asmussen covers college football for The News-Gazette. You can reach him at 217-351-5233 or at asmussen@news-gazette.com.