Lou Holtz, who became a legend at Notre Dame and Arkansas during his Hall of Fame career, has died, Notre Dame announced Wednesday. He was 89 years old.
Holtz entered hospice care in January just weeks after his 89th birthday. He won a national championship at Notre Dame as part of a decorated coaching career which included a memorable debut season at Arkansas. The Razorbacks went 11-1 during that 1977 season and took down Oklahoma in a memorable Orange Bowl upset.
Throughout his more than 40-year coaching career, including 32 as a college head coach, Holtz amassed a 249-132-7 overall record. He won two Bear Bryant Awards and Eddie Robinson Awards as national coach of the year while winning conference championships at William & Mary, NC State and Arkansas. In 1988, Holtz led Notre Dame to a national championship – his lone title as a head coach.
“Louis Leo ‘Lou’ Holtz, legendary college football coach, Hall of Famer, bestselling author, and one of American’s most influential motivational voices, has passed away at the age of 89 in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by family,” Notre Dame said in a statement. “Born January 6, 1937, in Follansbee, West Virginia, Holtz rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most respected figures in college athletics.
“… Holtz is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, and an unwavering belief in the potential of others. His influence extended far beyond the football field through the Holtz Charitable Foundation and the many players, colleagues, and communities shaped by his leadership. He is survived by his four children, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.”
Holtz retired from coaching after the 2004 season at South Carolina, when he joined ESPN as an analyst from 2005-15. This past season, he served as an honorary captain ahead of the matchup between Arkansas and Notre Dame – a resounding Fighting Irish victory at Razorback Stadium.
During his time in Fayetteville, Holtz amassed a 60-21-2 overall record, including the upset win over Oklahoma in the 1977 Orange Bowl. After two years at Minnesota, he went on to go 100-30-2 overall at Notre Dame while leading the Fighting Irish to a 1988 national title.
Holtz’s 100 wins at Notre Dame put him third on the program’s all-time list. Only Brian Kelly (113) and Knute Rockne (105) have more.
More on Lou Holtz’s Hall of Fame career
Lou Holtz started his legendary coaching career as an assistant at Iowa in 1960. He then had stints at William & Mary, UConn, South Carolina and Ohio State before William & Mary gave him his first head coaching opportunity in 1969.
Holtz coached the Tribe until 1971 when he became the head coach at NC State. He had a 33-12-3 record with the Wolfpack and led the program to four straight bowl games before taking the Jets job. After a 3-10 record in the NFL, he returned to coaching at Arkansas in 1977.
Holtz found immediate success in Fayetteville, going 11-1 in his first season as the Razorbacks upset Oklahoma in a memorable Orange Bowl. Arkansas then won a Southwest Conference title in 1979 with a 10-2 overall record and 7-1 mark in league play en route to a Sugar Bowl appearance.
Following a 6-5 record in 1983, Holtz stepped down as Arkansas coach and eventually took over at Minnesota in 1984. But after two years with the Golden Gophers, he left for Notre Dame, where he became a program icon. The Fighting Irish went 12-0 in 1988 en route to a national title and 12-1 the following season.
After the 1996 season, Holtz announced his first retirement and venture into TV as an analyst for CBS Sports. But he returned to the sidelines in 1999 in his second stint at South Carolina as head coach and inherited a 1-10 program upon his arrival. The Gamecocks went 0-11 in his first season, but turned around to go 8-4 in 2000. On the whole, Holtz had a 33-37 overall record in Columbia.