Lou Holtz, the coach who led Notre Dame to its last national title in 1988, has died. The College Football Hall of Fame coach was 89. He passed away on Wednesday, March 4.
A Storied College Career
Holtz’s career spanned five decades as a college football head coach. He led four programmes to Top 25 finishes. Holtz also took six schools to bowl games, an NCAA record.
His time in the NFL was brief. He didn’t last a full season with the New York Jets in 1976. Despite some controversies, his 11 years at Notre Dame cemented his legacy.
Rev. Robert A. Dowd, Notre Dame President, said Holtz would be remembered as a teacher, leader and mentor. He brought out the best in his players, both on and off the field. Dowd added that Holtz was a beloved member of the Notre Dame family.
The 1988 National Title
Holtz was hired by Notre Dame before the 1986 season. By 1988, he had rebuilt the Fighting Irish into a title contender. The team was led by Tony Rice, Mark Green, Ricky Watters, and Raghib Ismail. The Fighting Irish beat four ranked teams. They finished 12-0.
Holtz noted the challenges he faced upon arrival. He recalled being told the academic standards, tough schedule, no-redshirting policy, and lack of an athletic dormitory were reasons Notre Dame could not be great again.
The season’s biggest game was against No. 1 Miami on Oct. 15, 1988. Notre Dame won 31-30, ending the Hurricanes’ 36-game regular-season win streak. The game was billed as “Catholics vs. Convicts.”
Notre Dame finished atop the AP and coaches poll after defeating West Virginia 34-21 at the Fiesta Bowl. Holtz coached Notre Dome to one-loss seasons in 1989 and 1993, finishing second in the polls each season.
Later Years
Holtz stepped down from Notre Dame in 1996. He had a 100-30-2 record at the school.
After working for CBS Sports for two years, Holtz returned to coaching with South Carolina. He was named the 2000 SEC Coach of the Year. He also led the Gamecocks to consecutive postseason bowls for the first time in school history.
His six-season tenure ended after a brawl with Clemson in November 2004. Both schools declined bowl bids following the 10-minute incident.
- His final career record was 249-132-7.
- South Carolina was put on probation after Holtz’s departure.
- It was the third Holtz-led program to be sanctioned by the NCAA.
Holtz then spent a decade as a college football analyst for ESPN.
A staunch Republican, Holtz drew heavy criticism a few times in his 31 years