Lou Holtz, the coach who took the undefeated Fighting Irish of Notre Dame to an NCAA football national championship in 1988, died Wednesday in Orlando. He was 89.
His family confirmed the news in a statement shared on social media by Notre Dame but did not provide a cause of death.
Holtz was known for describing the college campus, experience and community in the words: “For those who know Notre Dame, no explanation is necessary. For those who don’t, no explanation will suffice.” It resonates often with current students and alumni. He was the last coach to clinch a football national championship for Notre Dame, and he worked for two seasons as an analyst and broadcaster for CBS in the late 1990s after he retired from coaching in South Bend.
The controversial coaching figure, known for his motivational speech and tactics as well as investigations into NCAA violations, denied knowledge of steroid use by the football team in 1990 during his Notre Dame tenure. His departures from athletic positions at certain colleges, including Arkansas in 1983 and Notre Dame were not the cleanest of breaks. In 2020, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by sitting President Donald Trump. Holtz was an outspoken supporter of Trump, addressing the Republican National Convention in support of Trump’s re-election bid in 2020.
Holtz coached 11 seasons of football for the Irish from 1986-96. He remained strongly tied to the football culture and tradition of the school past retirement. His name is on Gate D of the Notre Dame football stadium.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lou Holtz,” current Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman said in a statemment. “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. Our relationship meant a lot to me as I admired the values he used to build the foundation of his coaching career: love, trust and commitment.”
Coach Holtz was known for being strict and inspiring fierce loyalty in his players, described as a “wizard of sports psychology” by The South Bend Tribune. In addition to Notre Dame, he had stints at William & Mary, N.C. State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Carolina. His Notre Dame record was 100-30-2 with a winning percentage of .756.
He attempted to bring his success coaching college ball to the National Football League, but he went 3 and 10 with the New York Jets for a season in 1976, resigning before their final game.
Holtz’s wife Beth Barcus died of cancer in June 2020. They were married for almost 59 years. He is survived by their four children, three of whom graduated from Notre Dame. Holtz wrote several books like Lifetime of Love: A Game Plan For Marriage and Family Life (2022), Winning Every Day (1998) and his autobiography Wins, Loses and Lessons: An Autobiography (2006).
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