Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz

Louis Leo Holtz (born on January 6, 1937 in Follansbee, West Virginia) is an author, television commentator, motivational speaker, and former NCAA football head coach. Holtz is the only coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games and the only coach to guide four different programs to final top 20 rankings. He is also a multiple winner of Coach of the Year honors. After growing up in East Liverpool, Ohio and graduating from East Liverpool High School, Holtz attended Kent State University. He was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity, played football, and graduated in 1959. Over the years, the slender, bespectacled Holtz has become known for his quick wit and ability to inspire players. In 2005 Holtz joined ESPN as a college football analyst. On April 21, 2007, Holtz made an appearance as an honorary head coach, along with Ara Parseghian, for Notre Dame's annual Blue-Gold Game, a yearly intra-squad scrimmage that marks the end of spring football practice for the Irish. Holtz guided the Gold team to a 10-6 victory.

Early career

Holtz began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 1960 at the University of Iowa where he received his Master's degree. From there, he made stops as an assistant at William & Mary (1961-63), Connecticut (1964-65), South Carolina (1966-67), and Ohio State (1968). The Buckeyes won the national championship during Holtz's season in Columbus.

William & Mary

Holtz's first job as head coach was at William & Mary, then playing in the Southern Conference, starting in 1969. In 1970, the Holtz-led Tribe won the Southern Conference title and played in the Tangerine Bowl. As of 2007, it was the only bowl game a William & Mary team has ever played in. (Since Holtz's tenure there, William & Mary dropped to Division I-AA.)

N.C. State

In 1972, Holtz moved to North Carolina State University and had a 31-11-2 record in four seasons. His team played in four bowl games, winning two, losing one, and tying one.

New York Jets

Holtz's lone foray into the professional ranks consisted of one season with the New York Jets in 1976. He resigned with one game remaining in the season after going 3-10.

Arkansas

Holtz went to the University of Arkansas in 1977. In his seven years there, the Razorbacks compiled a 60-21-2 record and reached six bowl games. In his rookie season with the Razorbacks, he led Arkansas to a berth in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma, coached by Arkansas alumnus Barry Switzer. The Sooners were in position to win their third national championship in four seasons after top-ranked Texas lost to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl earlier in the day. Holtz had suspended his team's top two running backs for the Orange Bowl for disciplinary reasons. However, behind 205 yards rushing from reserve running back Roland Sales, the Hogs defeated the Sooners 31-6. Holtz was dismissed following a 6-5 campaign in 1983.

Minnesota

Main article: Minnesota Golden Gophers football under Lou Holtz

Holtz accepted the head coach job at the University of Minnesota before the 1984 season. The Golden Gophers had won only four games in the previous two seasons but had a winning record in 1985 and were invited to the Independence Bowl, where they defeated Clemson, 20-13. Holtz did not coach the Gophers in that bowl game, as he had already accepted the head coaching position at Notre Dame. His contract included a "Notre Dame clause" that allowed him to leave if the Notre Dame coaching job were to become available.

Notre Dame

In 1986, Holtz left Minnesota to take over the then-struggling Notre Dame program and wasted no time turning it around. A taskmaster and strict disciplinarian, he got the players' attention right away at their first team meeting upon his introduction. Although his 1986 squad posted an identical 5-6 mark that the 1985 edition had, five of their six losses were by a combined total of 14 points. In the season finale against archrival Southern Cal, the Irish overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and pulled out a 38-37 win over the stunned Trojans. In his second season, Holtz led the Fighting Irish to an appearance in the Cotton Bowl, where the Irish lost to Texas A&M, 35-10. The following year, Notre Dame won all 11 of their regular season games and defeated third-ranked West Virginia 34-21 in the Fiesta Bowl, claiming the national championship. The 1989 squad also won their first 11 games (and in the process set a school record with a 23-game winning streak) and remained in the #1 spot all season until losing to Miami in the season finale. A 21-6 win over Colorado in the Orange Bowl gave the Irish a second-place ranking in the final standings as well as back-to-back 12-win seasons for the first time in school history. Holtz's 1993 Irish team ended the season with an 11-1 record and ranked second in the final AP poll. Although the Florida State Seminoles were defeated by the Irish in a battle of unbeatens during the regular season and both teams had identical 11-1 records at season's end, FSU was voted national champion in the final 1993 AP poll. Between 1988 and 1993, Holtz's teams posted an overall 64-9-1 docket. He also took the Irish to bowl games for nine consecutive seasons, still a Notre Dame record.

First retirement

Holtz left Notre Dame after the 1996 season and walked away from a lifetime contract for undisclosed reasons. When pressed, all he would say was that "it was the right thing to do." It is widely believed that concerns about his wife's health after she was diagnosed with throat cancer prompted him to step down. Holtz himself indicated that he did not wish to move past Knute Rockne in career victories at Notre Dame (his overall record at Notre Dame was 100-30-2). He was succeeded by defensive coordinator Bob Davie.

In 1996, two members of the Minnesota Vikings's ownership board, Wheelock Whitney and Jane Dyer, reportedly contacted Lou Holtz. They wanted to bring Holtz in to replace Dennis Green. Of the rumors surrounding the reasons for Holtz's retirement, one of them was the possible Vikings head coaching position.

South Carolina

After two seasons as a commentator for CBS Sports, Holtz came out of retirement in 1999 and returned to South Carolina, where he had been an assistant in the 1960s. Holtz was famous for quickly rebuilding teams, but the South Carolina program had fallen to the worst level in its history. The year before Holtz arrived, the Gamecocks went 1-10, so Holtz was faced with possibly the greatest challenge of his coaching career. When the team went 0-11 during Holtz' first season, people around Columbia started to say things like, "If Holtz can't rebuild the Gamecocks, nobody can."

During the off-season, Holtz campaigned for a "change in attitude," and the results were astounding. In his second season, the Gamecocks went 8-4, winning the Outback Bowl over heavily favored Ohio State. The eight-game improvement from the previous year was the best in the nation in 2000 and the third best single season turnaround in NCAA history. In his third season, Holtz continued to confound the naysayers, leading the Gamecocks to a 9-3 record and another Outback Bowl victory over Ohio State. The nine wins for the season were the second highest total in the history of the program. It would also be the pinnacle for Holtz at South Carolina.

Despite successful recruiting efforts, the following two seasons ended with 5-7 records. Speculation began to circulate that the favoritism Holtz had shown toward certain players, particularly the troubled Derek Watson, poisoned the locker room. Discipline deteriorated, and the Gamecocks did not play up to its talent level.

Before his sixth and final season, Holtz tried to rally his players by letting them select their all-black uniforms. The ominous-looking Gamecocks turned in a dark 6-5 record, but it was the 11th game that demonstrated how Holtz had lost control of his team.

Second retirement

On November 18, 2004, Holtz announced that he would retire at the end of the season. His wife, Beth, had been struggling with her health for a number of years, and it was apparent that Holtz was worn out. Unfortunately, on November 21, 2004, the South Carolina-Clemson brawl took place during Holtz' last regular season game. Instead of ending his career at a post-season bowl game, which was expected, the two universities announced that each would penalize their respective football programs for their unsportsmanlike conduct by declining any bowl game invitations. At his last press conference as South Carolina's coach, Holtz said it was ironic that he and former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes both would be remembered for "getting into a fight at the Clemson game" (referring to an incident at the 1978 Gator Bowl where Hayes punched a Clemson player in the neck after making an interception). Holtz also alluded to his assistance in recruiting his successor, Steve Spurrier.

Firsts at South Carolina under Coach Holtz

• Winning two consecutive New Year's Day Bowl games (2001, 2002 Outback Bowls)
• Finishing with top 20 national rankings for two straight years (19th in 2000 and 13th in 2001)
• Ranked in the national polls for an entire season (2001)
• The most victories in consecutive seasons (17 from 2000-01)
• Record-setting home attendance (82,614 average in 2001 and 82,138 in 2002)
• Most national television appearances in a three-year period (18)
• Most players (11) to sign NFL contracts in one season (2002 and again in 2003)
• Back-to-back top 10 rated recruiting classes (2002, 2003)

Books

Holtz is the author of five books.

His first book, The Kitchen Quarterback, came out in 1980. It outlines the basics of the game for beginning football fan.

His next, The Fighting Spirit: A Championship Season at Notre Dame (ISBN 0-671-67673-3), was written with John Heisler and came out in September of 1989. It's an insider account of the 1988 dream season that shocked college football experts.

Then he wrote Winning Every Day (ISBN 0-88730-953-4), which was published in August 1999 and was a New York Times bestseller. In it, Holtz writes:"Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it."

He followed this in 2002 with A Teen's Game Plan for Life (ISBN 1893732568), which draws on his own experience and determination and encourages teens to be the best they can be.

Most recently, in August 2006, he released his autobiography, Wins, Losses, and Lessons (ISBN 0-06-084080-3. Holtz details his youth and his greatest wins -- and losses: "When I die and people realize that I will not be resurrected in three days, they will forget me. That is the way it should be. For reasons known only to God, I was asked to write an autobiography. Most people who knew me growing up didn't think I would ever read a book, let alone write one." The autobiography is a revealing look into what shaped the child of such humble beginnings into a legendary college football coach and sought-after motivational speaker. His now-famous "Do Right" Rule and other philosophies on making youngsters into people of strong character serve not only as a methodology to his coaching success but a testimony to parenting skills that will stand the test of generation after generation. His life story intertwines with the lives other well-known individuals, such as President Bill Clinton, entertainer Bob Hope, Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Bill Cowher, Steeler legend Jerome Bettis, Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes, golf great Arnold Palmer, and Pope John Paul II.

Broadcasting career

Holtz has worked for CBS Sports as a college football analyst and currently works in the same capacity for the cable network ESPN. His main duty is to provide analysis for College Gameday Final.

Personal life

Holtz was married to the former Beth Barcus on July 22, 1961. They are parents of four children, three of whom are Notre Dame graduates. Their eldest son, Skip, is currently head football coach at East Carolina University. Holtz is on the Catholic Advisory Board of the Ave Maria Mutual Funds, and gives motivational speeches. Coach Holtz is also a member at the famed Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

Trivia

• The Lou Holtz/Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame, located in East Liverpool, Ohio, houses Lou Holtz memorabilia, and serves as a charity fundraiser for area residents and cultural development.
• While at Kent State Holtz was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity.
• Holtz attended Saint Aloysius School in East Liverpool, OH when he was a child. It was run by the Sisters of Notre Dame, who played a recording of the Victory March every day during lunch and recess.
• Holtz had the names removed from the backs of the player's jerseys when he took over at Notre Dame, wanting to emphasize team effort. Except for the 1988 Cotton Bowl against Texas A&M, names have not been included on Notre Dame's team jerseys ever since.
• In 1966, Holtz made out a list of 108 goals to accomplish during his life. Among them were coaching at Notre Dame and winning a national championship.
• Holtz has one of the worst cases of denture lisp ever to fall on the ears of sports fans. His lisp can be heard on ESPN's weeknight College Football Show.

Coaching Record

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Rank#
William & Mary (Southern Conference) (1969–1971)
1969	William & Mary	3-7	2-2	4th
1970	William & Mary	5-7	3-1	1st	L 12-40 Tangerine Bowl
1971	William & Mary	5-6	4-1	2nd
William & Mary:		13-20	9-4
North Carolina State (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1972–1975)
1972	North Carolina State	8-3-1	4-1-1	2nd	W 49-13 Peach Bowl
1973	North Carolina State	9-3	6-0	1st	W 31-18 Liberty Bowl
1974	North Carolina State	9-2-1	4-2	2nd	T 31-31 Bluebonnet Bowl	9
1975	North Carolina State	7-4-1	2-2-1	4th	L 10-13 Peach Bowl
North Carolina State:		33-12-3	16-5-2
Arkansas (Southwest Conference) (1977–1983)
1977	Arkansas	11-1	7-1	2nd	W 31-6 Orange Bowl	3
1978	Arkansas	9-2-1	6-2	2nd (tie)	T 10-10 Fiesta Bowl	10
1979	Arkansas	10-2	7-1	1st (tie)	L 24-9 Sugar Bowl	9
1980	Arkansas	7-5	3-5	6th (tie)	W 34-14 Hall of Fame Classic
1981	Arkansas	8-4	5-3	4th	L 27-31 Gator Bowl	16
1982	Arkansas	9-2-1	5-2-1	3rd	W 28-24 Bluebonnet Bowl	8
1983	Arkansas	6-5	4-4	5th
Arkansas:		60-21-2	37-18-1
Minnesota (Big Ten Conference) (1984–1985)
1984	Minnesota	4-7	3-6	8th
1985	Minnesota	6-5	4-4	6th
Minnesota:		10-12	7-10
Notre Dame (Independent) (1986–1996)
1986	Notre Dame	5-6
1987	Notre Dame	8-4			L 10-35 Cotton Bowl
1988	Notre Dame	12-0			W 34-21 Fiesta Bowl	1
1989	Notre Dame	12-1			W 21-6 Orange Bowl	3
1990	Notre Dame	9-3			L 9-10 Orange Bowl	6
1991	Notre Dame	10-3			W 39-28 Sugar Bowl	12
1992	Notre Dame	10-1-1			W 28-3 Cotton Bowl	4
1993	Notre Dame	11-1			W 24-21 Cotton Bowl	2
1994	Notre Dame	6-5-1			L 24-41 Fiesta Bowl
1995	Notre Dame	9-3			L 26-31 Orange Bowl	13
1996	Notre Dame	8-3				21
Notre Dame:		100-30-2
South Carolina (Southeastern Conference) (1999–2004)
1999	South Carolina	0-11	0-8	6th (East)
2000	South Carolina	8-4	5-3	3rd (East)	W 24-7 Outback Bowl	21
2001	South Carolina	9-3	5-3	3rd (East)	W 31-28 Outback Bowl	13
2002	South Carolina	5-7	3-5	5th (East)
2003	South Carolina	5-7	2-6	4th (East)
2004	South Carolina	6-5	4-4	4th (East)
South Carolina:		33-37	19-29
Total:		249-132-7
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
†Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll.

External links

• The Razorback Legacy - Lou Holtz - Record / Bio
• Audio excerpt and chapter from autobiograpy Wins, Losses, and Lessons (Official publisher web page)
• Lou Holtz Motivational Training Videos and DVDs
• Beliefnet Interview with Lou Holtz (includes audio)
• Lou Holtz leadership