Atlanta, GA - The State of Nebraska had two legends inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night in Atlanta, Georgia. Former Husker Football coach Frank Solich, and North Platte native Danny Woodhead.
Solich led the Huskers to the 2002 BCS National Championship game. Solich served as an assistant at Nebraska from 1979-97, coaching the running backs, before becoming the head coach. As an assistant to Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne, Solich was part of the coaching staff on three national championship teams (1994, 1995, 1997), and he recruited and coached Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Mike Rozier .Solich is the winningest coach in Mid-American Conference history with 115 overall wins, Solich led the Bobcats to four MAC East titles (2006, 2009, 2011, 2016), and his 77 conference wins rank second only behind College Football Hall of Fame coach Herb Deromedi, who posted 90 victories during his career at Central Michigan. The Cleveland, Ohio, product became the first inductee ever from Ohio and the seventh coach from Nebraska to enter the Hall.
Woodhead, a North Platte High legend, finished his career at Chadron State as college football's all-time leading rusher before a near 10 year run in the NFL including a super bowl appearance with the New England Patriots..
Woodhead is Chadron State's first-ever College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
He was A three-time First Team All-American (2004, 2006-07), Woodhead twice claimed the Harlon Hill Trophy as the most valuable player in Division II (2006, 2007). A four-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) First Team selection, he was the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year three times after being selected as the RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2004. He was named the most valuable player for Chadron State all four years in college, and he was also named the All-Century Offensive Player by the RMAC.
Woodhead finished his Chadron State career as college football's all-time rushing leader with 7,962 yards, and he owned 21 NCAA Division II records when he graduated. The records included most consecutive games rushing 100 or more yards (16), games rushing 200 or more yards (19), most consecutive games scoring a touchdown (38) and most yards rushing in a season (2,756 in 2006).
Woodhead currently is the co-CEO of Arise Venture, a business consulting firm in Nebraska. A scratch golfer, Woodhead made a run at becoming a professional golfer, falling just short of qualifying for the U.S. Open. He was inducted into the Chadron State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.