One of the greatest defensive players to ever play for head coach Jim Tressel was linebacker Paul Soltis. A tough and punishing tackler, the Austintown Fitch High School product could be found all over the field on game day making what seemed like every tackle.
Glancing at the YSU record book, Soltis' name is all over it. Currently, Soltis is second in school history for tackles in a career with a remarkable 468 stops, which is an average of 156 tackles per season. What is more remarkable, is that Soltis played only three seasons after transferring to YSU from Ohio State.
In 1987, Soltis led the defense with a school record 185 tackles, including 102 solo tackles, which is also a school mark. One of the most dominating players in the Ohio Valley Conference, Soltis and Aaron Jones of Eastern Kentucky were tabbed the Defensive Players of the Year in the OVC that season.
Soltis helped the Penguins to an overall mark of 8-4 and their first trip to the NCAA I-AA Playoffs before falling to Northern Iowa in the first round. Soltis once recorded 24 stops against Austin Peay in 1987, which is the fourth-best total in school history.
As a junior, Soltis was once again all over the field in 1988, leading the Penguins with 175 tackles, which is third all-time in school history. His school-record 108 solo stops were also a team high and still holds the school record for tackles in a game with 31 against Northeastern. He also led the team with eight tackles for loss and added three pass deflections.
Closing out his senior season in 1989, Soltis was second on the team in tackles with 108, but had a career-high eight pass deflecÂtions. He returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown in a 41-38 loss to Western Kentucky at Stambaugh Stadium. Following that season, Soltis was named to the Kodak, Associated Press, SportsNetwork, GTE, Poor Man's Guide to the NFL Draft, Don Hansen's Football Gazette and NFL Draft Report All-American squads.
Soltis, who earned his degree in criminal justice, resides in Grove City, Ohio, with his wife, Stacy, and daughter, Abby Renee. He is currently employed by Bank One in corporate security.
