Earle Solomonson - Misplaced Pages

American football player and coach (born 1947)

Earle Solomonson
Biographical details
Born	(1947-09-02) September 2, 1947 (age 77)
Playing career
c. 1965–1968	Augsburg

Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1969–1974	Richfield HS (MN) (DC)
1975–1978	Park Center HS (MN)
1979–1983	North Dakota State (DL)
1984	North Dakota State (DC)
1985–1986	North Dakota State
1987–1991	Montana State

Head coaching record
Overall	39–42–1 (college) 30–7 (high school)
Tournaments	6–0 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 NCAA Division II (1985–1986) 2 NCC (1985–1986)
Awards
AFCA Division II COY (1986)

Earle Solomonson (born September 2, 1947) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at North Dakota State University from 1985 to 1986 and at Montana State University from 1987 to 1991, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 39–42–1. Solomonson won back-to-back NCAA Division II Football Championships with the North Dakota State Bison in 1985 and 1986. He played college football at Augsburg College, from which he graduated in 1969.

Solomonson began his coaching career in 1969 as an assistant at Richfield High School in Richfield, Minnesota. He was the head football coach at Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota from 1975 to 1978, leading his teams to a record of 30–7 in four seasons. Solomonson joined the coaching staff at North Dakota State in 1979 as defensive line coach under head coach Don Morton. He was elevated to defensive coordinator in 1984, succeeding Mike Daly, who left the program to coach at Idaho State University.

Head coaching record

College


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
North Dakota State Bison (North Central Conference) (1985–1986)
1985	North Dakota State	11–2–1	7–1–1	1st	W NCAA Division II Championship
1986	North Dakota State	13–0	9–0	1st	W NCAA Division II Championship
North Dakota State:		24–2–1	16–1–1
Montana State Bobcats (Big Sky Conference) (1987–1991)
1987	Montana State	1–10	0–8	9th
1988	Montana State	4–7	4–4	T–4th
1989	Montana State	4–7	2–6	T–6th
1990	Montana State	4–7	3–5	T–5th
1991	Montana State	2–9	1–7	T–8th
Montana State:		15–40	10–30
Total:		39–42–1
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth

References

"Solomonson To Head Football at Park Center". The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis, Minnesota. May 30, 1975. p. 9B. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
"Solomonson takes post at N.D. State". Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. March 29, 1979. p. 4D. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
"Daily Leaves Bison". Rapid City Journal. Minneapolis, Minnesota. May 30, 1975. p. 9B. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .

v t e North Dakota State Bison head football coaches
Henry Luke Bolley (1894–1899) Jack Harrison (1900–1901) Eddie Cochems (1902–1903) A. L. Marshall (1904–1905) Gil Dobie (1906–1907) Paul Magoffin (1908) Arthur Rueber (1909–1912) Howard Wood (1913–1914) Paul J. Davis (1915–1917) No team (1918) Stanley Borleske (1919–1921) Joe Cutting (1922) Stanley Borleske (1923–1924) Ion Cortright (1925–1927) Stanley Borleske & Casey Finnegan (1928) Casey Finnegan (1929–1940) Stan Kostka (1941) Robert A. Lowe (1942) No team (1943–1944) Robert A. Lowe (1945) Stan Kostka (1946–1947) Howard Bliss (1948–1949) Mac Wenskunas (1950–1953) Del Anderson (1954–1955) Les Luymes (1956) Bob Danielson (1957–1962) Darrell Mudra (1963–1965) Ron Erhardt (1966–1972) Ev Kjelbertson (1973–1975) Jim Wacker (1976–1978) Don Morton (1979–1984) Earle Solomonson (1985–1986) Rocky Hager (1987–1996) Bob Babich (1997–2002) Craig Bohl (2003–2013) Chris Klieman (2014–2018) Matt Entz (2019–2023) Tim Polasek (2024– )

North Dakota State Bison head football coaches

Henry Luke Bolley (1894–1899)
Jack Harrison (1900–1901)
Eddie Cochems (1902–1903)
A. L. Marshall (1904–1905)
Gil Dobie (1906–1907)
Paul Magoffin (1908)
Arthur Rueber (1909–1912)
Howard Wood (1913–1914)
Paul J. Davis (1915–1917)
No team (1918)
Stanley Borleske (1919–1921)
Joe Cutting (1922)
Stanley Borleske (1923–1924)
Ion Cortright (1925–1927)
Stanley Borleske & Casey Finnegan (1928)
Casey Finnegan (1929–1940)
Stan Kostka (1941)
Robert A. Lowe (1942)
No team (1943–1944)
Robert A. Lowe (1945)
Stan Kostka (1946–1947)
Howard Bliss (1948–1949)
Mac Wenskunas (1950–1953)
Del Anderson (1954–1955)
Les Luymes (1956)
Bob Danielson (1957–1962)
Darrell Mudra (1963–1965)
Ron Erhardt (1966–1972)
Ev Kjelbertson (1973–1975)
Jim Wacker (1976–1978)
Don Morton (1979–1984)
Earle Solomonson (1985–1986)
Rocky Hager (1987–1996)
Bob Babich (1997–2002)
Craig Bohl (2003–2013)
Chris Klieman (2014–2018)
Matt Entz (2019–2023)
Tim Polasek (2024– )

v t e Montana State Bobcats head football coaches
Charles Lisle (1897) George Ahern (1898) William J. Adams (1899) Eugene C. Woodruff (1900) A. G. Harbaugh (1901) John E. Flynn (1902–1903) Fred Ervin (1904) A. G. Harbaugh (1905) No team (1906–1907) John H. McIntosh (1908–1910) Earnest A. Dockstader (1911–1912) Eugene F. Bunker (1913) Fred Bennion (1914–1917) No team (1918) Walter D. Powell (1919) D. V. Graves (1920–1921) G. Ott Romney (1922–1927) Schubert R. Dyche (1928–1935) Jack Croft (1936–1937) Schubert R. Dyche (1938–1941) No team (1942–1945) Clyde Carpenter (1946–1949) John Mason (1950–1951) Tony Storti (1952–1954) Wally Lemm (1955) Tony Storti (1956–1957) Herb Agocs (1958–1962) Jim Sweeney (1963–1967) Tom Parac (1968–1970) Sonny Holland (1971–1977) Sonny Lubick (1978–1981) Doug Graber (1982) Dave Arnold (1983–1986) Earle Solomonson (1987–1991) Cliff Hysell (1992–1999) Mike Kramer (2000–2006) Rob Ash (2007–2015) Jeff Choate (2016–2019) No team (2020) Brent Vigen (2021– )

Montana State Bobcats head football coaches

Charles Lisle (1897)
George Ahern (1898)
William J. Adams (1899)
Eugene C. Woodruff (1900)
A. G. Harbaugh (1901)
John E. Flynn (1902–1903)
Fred Ervin (1904)
A. G. Harbaugh (1905)
No team (1906–1907)
John H. McIntosh (1908–1910)
Earnest A. Dockstader (1911–1912)
Eugene F. Bunker (1913)
Fred Bennion (1914–1917)
No team (1918)
Walter D. Powell (1919)
D. V. Graves (1920–1921)
G. Ott Romney (1922–1927)
Schubert R. Dyche (1928–1935)
Jack Croft (1936–1937)
Schubert R. Dyche (1938–1941)
No team (1942–1945)
Clyde Carpenter (1946–1949)
John Mason (1950–1951)
Tony Storti (1952–1954)
Wally Lemm (1955)
Tony Storti (1956–1957)
Herb Agocs (1958–1962)
Jim Sweeney (1963–1967)
Tom Parac (1968–1970)
Sonny Holland (1971–1977)
Sonny Lubick (1978–1981)
Doug Graber (1982)
Dave Arnold (1983–1986)
Earle Solomonson (1987–1991)
Cliff Hysell (1992–1999)
Mike Kramer (2000–2006)
Rob Ash (2007–2015)
Jeff Choate (2016–2019)
No team (2020)
Brent Vigen (2021– )

v t e 1983 North Dakota State Bison football—NCAA Division II national champions
1 Jeff Bentrim 5 Gary Barta 6 Stacy Robinson 22 Tyrone Braxton 26 Chad Stark 48 Jim Dick 87 Flint Fleming Head coach: Don Morton Assistant coaches: Mike Daly Earle Solomonson

1983 North Dakota State Bison football—NCAA Division II national champions

Head coach: Don Morton

Assistant coaches: Mike Daly
Earle Solomonson

v t e 1985 North Dakota State Bison football—NCAA Division II national champions
1 Jeff Bentrim 5 Gary Barta 12 Gus Bradley 22 Tyrone Braxton 26 Chad Stark 37 Doug Lloyd 48 Jim Dick 57 Mike Favor 87 Flint Fleming Head coach: Earle Solomonson Assistant coach: Kevin Donnalley Rocky Hager

1985 North Dakota State Bison football—NCAA Division II national champions

Head coach: Earle Solomonson

Assistant coach: Kevin Donnalley
Rocky Hager

v t e 1986 North Dakota State Bison football—NCAA Division II national champions
1 Jeff Bentrim 5 Gary Barta 12 Gus Bradley 22 Tyrone Braxton 26 Chad Stark 37 Doug Lloyd 48 Jim Dick 57 Mike Favor 87 Flint Fleming 90 Phil Hansen Head coach: Earle Solomonson Assistant coaches: Kevin Donnalley Rocky Hager Chuck Moller Stan Rettew

1986 North Dakota State Bison football—NCAA Division II national champions

Head coach: Earle Solomonson

v t e AFCA NCAA College Division/Division II Coach of the Year winners
1960: Woodson 1961: Gaither 1962: Edwards 1963: Edwards 1964: Stasavich 1965: Curtice 1966: Jessee 1967: S. Moore 1968: Root 1969: Naviaux 1970: Ellender 1971: Raymond 1972: Raymond 1973: Maurer 1974: Kramer 1975: Maurer 1976: Dennison 1977: Manlove 1978: Tressel 1979: Narduzzi 1980: Carter 1981: Ragazzo 1982: Wacker 1983: Morton 1984: Gailey 1985: Landis 1986: Solomonson 1987: Rhoades 1988: Hager 1989: Williams 1990: Hager 1991: Broyles 1992: Burgess 1993: Wallace 1994: Wallace 1995: Wallace 1996: Glenn 1997: Glenn 1998: Tjeerdsma 1999: Tjeerdsma 2000: Hale 2001: Lennon 2002: Kelly 2003: Kelly & Van Diest 2004: Hatcher 2005: Martin 2006: Martin 2007: Dean 2008: Tjeerdsma 2009: Tjeerdsma 2010: Nielson 2011: Winters 2012: Dean 2013: Dorrel 2014: Wristen 2015: Dorrel 2016: Dorrel 2017: Shinnick 2018: Cronic 2019: Hoffner 2020: No season 2021: Wilson 2022: B. Moore 2023: Simmons 2024: Jackson

AFCA NCAA College Division/Division II Coach of the Year winners

1960: Woodson
1961: Gaither
1962: Edwards
1963: Edwards
1964: Stasavich
1965: Curtice
1966: Jessee
1967: S. Moore
1968: Root
1969: Naviaux
1970: Ellender
1971: Raymond
1972: Raymond
1973: Maurer
1974: Kramer
1975: Maurer
1976: Dennison
1977: Manlove
1978: Tressel
1979: Narduzzi
1980: Carter
1981: Ragazzo
1982: Wacker
1983: Morton
1984: Gailey
1985: Landis
1986: Solomonson
1987: Rhoades
1988: Hager
1989: Williams
1990: Hager
1991: Broyles
1992: Burgess
1993: Wallace
1994: Wallace
1995: Wallace
1996: Glenn
1997: Glenn
1998: Tjeerdsma
1999: Tjeerdsma
2000: Hale
2001: Lennon
2002: Kelly
2003: Kelly & Van Diest
2004: Hatcher
2005: Martin
2006: Martin
2007: Dean
2008: Tjeerdsma
2009: Tjeerdsma
2010: Nielson
2011: Winters
2012: Dean
2013: Dorrel
2014: Wristen
2015: Dorrel
2016: Dorrel
2017: Shinnick
2018: Cronic
2019: Hoffner
2020: No season
2021: Wilson
2022: B. Moore
2023: Simmons
2024: Jackson

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