LOU HOLTZ
2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
BIOGRAPHY
Lou Holtz has established himself as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time. He is the only coach in the history of college football to take six different teams to a bowl game, win five bowl games with different teams and, have four different college teams ranked in the final Top 20 poll. Despite never inheriting a winning team, he compiled a 243-127-7 career record that ranked him third in victories among active coaches and eighth in winning percentage. His twelve career post-season bowl victories ranked him fifth on the all-time list. Holtz was selected for the College Football Hall of Fame, class of 2008.
Born Louis Leo Holtz on January 6, 1937, Holtz grew up in East Liverpool, OH, just up the Ohio River from his Follansbee, WV birthplace. He graduated from East Liverpool High School, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in history from Kent State in 1959, and a Master’s degree from Iowa in arts and education in 1961. He served as an officer in the Army after college and married Beth Barcus of East Liverpool on July 22, 1961. Holtz and his wife are the parents of four children, grandparents to nine, and currently reside in Orlando, Florida.
COACHING: Holtz played linebacker at Kent State for two seasons before an injury ended his career. His coaching career began as an assistant coach at Iowa, William & Mary, South Carolina, and Ohio State. Holtz became the 25th head coach of Notre Dame (1986-1996) following two seasons at Minnesota (1984-1985), seven at Arkansas (1977-1983), four at North Carolina State (1972-1975), and three at William & Mary (1969-1971) where his head coaching career began at the age of 32. He spent the 1976 season as head coach of the New York Jets of the National Football League. Holtz retired from coaching after leading the Gamecocks to back-to-back January 1 bowl games for the first time in the school’s history at the University of South Carolina (1999-2004).
ANALYST: Between 1996 and 1999, Holtz joined CBS Sports’ College Football Today for two seasons as a sports analyst. Until 2014, Holtz was a college football studio analyst on ESPN. He appeared on ESPNews, ESPN College GameDay programs, and SportsCenter. In 2017, Coach Holtz wrapped up his second and final year with SiriusXM Radio as a Co-Host for two sports programs.
SPEAKER: Holtz maintains an extensive speaking schedule and has been considered among the greatest speaking legends in America today. He speaks on overcoming seemingly impossible challenges by setting your own goals and working to achieve them. Holtz has built a reputation as a motivator, a demanding disciplinarian, and someone who relishes challenges and hard work.
AUTHOR: Holtz has authored several books, including three New York Times best-selling writings, The Fighting Spirit, Winning Everyday: A Game Plan for Success, and Wins, Losses and Lessons, an autobiography of his life and the lessons he has learned. For his younger audience, Holtz authored A Teen’s Game Plan for Success.
PHILANTHROPIST: In 1996, the Holtz Charitable Foundation, Inc., a private 501(c)(3) organization, was formed. Among other works, the Foundation seeks to provide scholarships to trade schools in Holtz’s hometown and educational assistance to the children of Holtz’s former players.