Few coaches in any sport have left their indelible mark like Lou Holtz did. He led the fierce Fighting Irish of Notre Dame to a coveted national title in 1988. That was just one of his college gridiron milestones. Holtz died on Wednesday, March 4, at the age if 89, leaving behind a legacy of grace, dignity, character, industriousness, and respect. A distinguished role model for his players, Holtz will be honored and long revered for giving each game his total, unflagging commitment.
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He helmed other college teams besides Notre Dame. They included Arkansas, South Carolina, NC State, William & Mary, and Minnesota. Holtz also coached the New York Jets in 1976. But his decade-long stint at ND is the stuff of pure legend.
No cause of death has been specified at this time.
The Fighting Irish Posted a Message From Lou Holtz's Family
On their X account, the team posted a warm tribute to Lou Holtz from his loved ones. It read in part, Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz, legendary college football coach, Hall of Famer, bestselling author, and one of America's most influential motivational voices, has passed away at the age of 89 in Orlando, Florida....Holtz is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, and an unwavering belief in the potential of others.,,,"
As the lavish tributes to Holtz continue to flow in, yet another one from Notre Dame stood out. Head football coach Marcus Freeman graciously tipped his hat to his illustrious predecessor. The loss of Holtz was not only professional to him, but deeply personal as well. Freeman wrote on X in part, "Lou and I shared a very special relationship. He welcomed me to the Notre Dame family immediately, offering me great support throughout our time together...."
He Stormed in When He Took Over as Coach at Notre Dame
Holtz meant business from day one when he arrived at ND in 1986. He reportedly did not like what he saw at first - a ragtag bunch of guys with a casual, nonchalant attitude. Holtz was clearly going to shape things up fast and teach these young men some professional decorum. Per ESPN, QB Steve Beuerlein reminisced about the first team meeting the new coach led. It was not for the faint-hearted or those who preferred to slack off.
Beuerlein said, "A lot of us were kind of slouched back in our chairs, had hats on, head back, just not overly impressed with what was going on. He got up to the podium and he looked at our team and he said, 'Get your feet on the floor, sit up straight, take your hats off and get ready to play some football.' We sat up and we were like, 'Whoa, what is this guy all about?' We knew right away that it was a whole new deal."
