The Nebraska Greats Foundation hosted its 10th Celebrity Sports Night on Oct. 15 at the Relevant Center in Elkhorn.

Founded by former Husker All-American linebacker Jerry Murtaugh, the foundation’s mission is to help athletes in the state of Nebraska with medical needs. That included former Wayne State College volleyball player Bridget McPhillips, who spoke on her situation and experience after being diagnosed with Angiosarcoma.

“I have spent a year-and-a-half traveling to-and-from Houston about every six weeks [for treatment], so, you can imagine the financial burden that takes on top of medical bills,” McPhillips said. “I can’t thank Nebraska Greats enough…it wouldn’t have been feasible.”

In attendance were athletic directors from UNL, Creighton, and UNO; Troy Dannen, Marcus Blossom, and Adrian Dowell. They joined Husker legends Eric Crouch and Frank Solich among other prominent local sports figures.

Crouch, the 2001 Heisman Trophy winner, and College Football Hall of Fame inductee was awarded the 2024 Andra Franklin Service Award for his philanthropic work in Nebraska, including with Nebraska Greats Foundation.

“You can’t say thanks enough to the people that have helped this foundation continue to grow,” Crouch said. “We need you guys to continue to keep talking about the foundation. Spread the word, it’s a great foundation, we’re making a lot of progress and people are getting the help they need, but there are still recipients that need help.”

Crouch, who was joined on stage by his former head coach and recent College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Frank Solich, took the audience behind the scenes of one of the most memorable plays in Husker History.

On Oct. 27, 2001, the No. 2 ranked Huskers welcomed longtime rival and No. 1 team in the nation, Oklahoma, which entered on a 2 game win streak under OU head coach Bob Stoops. With Nebraska clinging to a 13-10 lead late in the fourth quarter, Solich called Black 41 Flash Reverse Pass.

Crouch takes the snap from center, and hands it to Thunder Collins, who pitches it to backup quarterback and Council Bluffs native Mike Stuntz, who flung the ball downfield into the waiting hands of Crouch for a 63-yard touchdown reception.

“It was up in the air a little bit as to whether or not that play was going to get called. The situation was right for it. I don’t think there’s any question about the timing of the play,” Solich said. “Mike [Stuntz] really did make a great throw, but Eric [Crouch] didn’t spend much of his time at Nebraska catching over-the-shoulder throws. As that ball was coming to Eric, I knew it was perfectly thrown, but it was still going to be a tough catch.”

“There was no pressure,” Crouch joked.

“Once it was caught, I think I started jumping,” Solich said. “I don’t jump a lot, but I may have started jumping on that. Once he caught it, I knew there was no way he was going to be caught.”

After six seasons as Husker head coach, Solich was fired in 2003 after a 9-3 regular season record. From 2005 to 2020 Solich led the University of Ohio, where he now has the field named after him. In his career, Solich was 173-101 all-time, which was part of why he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

“Actually, Coach Osborne [was the one who told me]. He gave me a call and said, ‘Congratulations for going into the hall of fame,” Solich said. “I said, ‘Coach, are you sure of that?’”

Solich, who was inducted last month becomes Ohio’s first hall-of-famer and is the 27th Husker, and now seventh Big Red coach. Solich and his wife Pam are now retired and live in Boise, Idaho. After years away from the program, Solich returned in April to step foot inside the newly christened Frank Solich Locker Room.

“It’s good to be back…feels like home,” Solich said after seeing his namesake locker room for the first time.

Solich elaborated on the honor and his thought process about coming back to Lincoln where he played and coached, but ultimately let him go somewhat controversially after six seasons, a national championship appearance and an overall record of 58-19.

“It was very special for me [to be] invited back,” Solich said. “There was a timeline when [former Nebraska Athletic Director] Trev [Alberts] would give me a call and [ask] about coming back. I said I was OK without doing that right now. It took me a while to get to the point where I felt comfortable coming back…it ended up being a special moment for me and one I’ll never forget. I again feel like this is home and I’ve felt that way ever since that moment.”

If you want to help support the Nebraska Greats Foundation, visit nebraskagreatsfoundation.org.