University of South Dakota Athletics

Elmo Solberg, orginally of Aberdeen, was an outstanding football and basketball player for the South Dakota Coyotes from 1939-43. Solberg teamed with quarterback Bob Burns, who coached at Sioux Falls O'Gorman, to form a wicked one-two combination as the Coyotes, unveiling the T-formation, rolled to a 6-2 record in 1941. Solberg was a jack of all trades during a fabulous career at South Dakota. He was named all-North Central Conference in 1940 and 1941. In addition to being an outstanding end of offense, he was a one-man gang on defense while also handling USD's punting duties. Solberg, who earned all-league honors during his senior year in 1941, also shined on the basketball floor. He led the 1941-42 Coyotes' team with a 15-point scoring average which also garnered him all-NCC honors. After graduating from USD in 1942, Solberg was a B-24 bomber pilot with the 8th Air Force and flew 36 combat missions over Europe. He went to work for the Mobil Oil Corporation in 1945 and works as an industry sales executive with Mobil in Kansas City, MO.