Tackling Tragedy
Ryan Solomona has tackled his fair share of opponents on the football field as one of USU’s linebackers, but the way he’s also tackled trials off the field.
In July, prior to the 2000 football season, Solomona received word that one of his closest friends had died. Solomona remembers the sadness and confusion he felt.
“My brother called to tell me my friend had died, and I thought, ‘What? We were just hanging out before I left [to come to Logan for summer camp].’ So I went back home for the funeral. I was so touched by the funeral, I just decided I needed to stay home,” he said.
In addition to mourning his friend, Solomona was carrying the weight of some of his family’s financial burdens.
“I was going to quit football and just get a 9-to-5 job,” he said. “I was so down.”
In the meantime, the new coaching staff, particularly coaches David Reeves and Tom McMahon, consistently pursued Solomona, asking him if he would return for the 2000 season.
“I would tell them, ‘I don’t want to come back. I’m done with football.’ It was hard for them to take a ‘no’ answer from me,” he said.
While Solomona was striving to heal, he felt an urgent need to help his younger brother, who had signed to play football at the University of Washington, but had become academically ineligible.
“He was really hurt,” Solomona said. “I had to pick him back up onto his feet. So I said, ‘Come on little brother, let’s go play football.'”
The two enrolled in school at El Camino Junior College in Torrence, Calif. Together, they helped the El Camino football team win the Mission Conference Championship.
In December, Solomona finally felt ready to return to USU. Solomona said he remembers his brother assuring him that the family was back on track financially and that “everything was cool.”
“Right around Christmas time, I got that feeling back,” he said.
Solomona said he and the coaches were on three-way calling when he told them he was returning for the upcoming season.
“The coaches were so happy,” Solomona said.
With the loss of seniors Brent Passey and Blake Eagal, Solomona has the opportunity to fill those vacant spots and contribute to the defense.
“He’s big, he’s fast and he’s strong,” Reeves said.
Solomona is grateful to the coaches for keeping his scholarship while he was gone.
“Not many athletes get a second chance,” he said.
The San Pedro, Calif., native was recruited to Utah State in 1998 by former head coach Dave Arslanian and coach Mike Tuiasosopo. Solomona admits he had a difficult time when Arslanian left USU in December of 1999.
“I came in [to the program] and looked at him like a father,” Solomona said.
Solomona said he was nervous for the period of adjustment he knew he would have to go through when he returned to the team for Spring football.
“I didn’t know if people thought I had let down the team,” he said. “But [the team] welcomed me back, and that’s the best part of it.”