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The fans are back in the Peden Stadium stands, but the coach who shepherded Ohio Football to unparalleled heights over the past 16 years has passed the pigskin.

Frank Solich announced in July that he was retiring as head coach to focus on a rare cardiovascular health issue. He leaves the field a legend鈥攏ot only at OHIO but in college football.

Solich led Ohio Football to 11 bowl appearances鈥攁nd its first five bowl victories鈥攆our MAC East titles, and a Top 25 ranking. He holds the title as the winningest head coach in MAC history and was just seven wins shy of Don Peden鈥檚 record 121 victories at OHIO.

鈥淣ot bad for 55 years,鈥� Solich says of his coaching career.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to fully capture what Coach Solich has meant to our football program, to our athletic department, to our University,鈥� says OHIO Director of Athletics Julie Cromer, who described Solich as a leader, ambassador, educator and mentor. 鈥淏ut his true legacy is really in the men and the players who he coached who went on to earn their degrees, to pursue their passions, and did so with the lessons of hard work, commitment and integrity that they learned from coach.鈥�

The 2021 season kicked off with a familiar face filling Solich鈥檚 shoes along the sideline. Tim Albin, who joined the program in 2005 and served as associate head coach and offensive coordinator, signed a four-year contract as Ohio Football鈥檚 new head coach. Albin served alongside Solich for 21 years, both at OHIO and the University of Nebraska鈥攁 partnership likely to endure as Solich will continue his service to Bobcat Nation as a special advisor to Ohio Athletics.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been amazing,鈥� Solich says of his time at OHIO. 鈥淔rom the first time I stepped on the campus鈥攆rom the student body to the community to the alumni to former players鈥攖hey鈥檝e all been great.鈥�

Featured image: After 16 seasons, Frank Solich stepped down as Ohio Football鈥檚 head coach, leaving a program he rebuilt with a 115-82 record. Photo by Eli Burris, BSJ 鈥�16