Lou Holtz Leaves Behind Legacy at NC State

RALEIGH — Legendary college football coach and pundit Lou Holtz died on Wednesday. Holtz was 89 and reportedly spent the final months of his life in hospice care in Florida. Between his successes at Notre Dame and the television world, Holtz made a massive impact on the world of college sports. His legacy wasn't exclusive to Notre Dame, as Holtz spent four seasons coaching at NC State.

From 1972 to 1975, he patrolled the sidelines at Carter-Finley Stadium, helping the Wolfpack to some of its more successful seasons in the program's history. Even to this day, Holtz's impact is still felt by current coaches on the campus in Raleigh.

Shaping a current Wolfpack leader

Oct 7, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Former North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Lou Holtz is honored along with his 1973 football team during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

NC State baseball coach Elliott Avent found out Holtz passed away during the eighth inning of his team's victory over Queens University on Wednesday afternoon. After 30 seasons leading the Pack 9, there aren't many members of the school's athletic department with the wealth of knowledge that Avent possesses. The coach was a student at NC State for the final two years of Holtz's Wolfpack tenure.

"One of the best speech givers I ever heard," Avent said of Holtz. "I've got two or three of his books at home. I comb through them constantly. He's so smart and he's such a showman. I'll never forget seeing him tear that newspaper up into like 15 pieces and then fold it back together. I wanted him to teach me that trick."

Avent, a gifted orator in his own right, shared a story about meeting Holtz for the first time when he was coaching baseball at New Mexico State. One of his players, Kevin Putz, was a massive Notre Dame fan and figured out the iconic coach of the Fighting Irish was in the airport in Chicago at the same time as the New Mexico State squad.

"I said, 'Kevin, what do you want me to do?' And he said, 'Go get him and see if he'll talk to our team,'" Avent recalled. "I said I don't know him. (Putz said), 'Just go talk to (Holtz), you can talk to anybody.' So, I did. I went and found Lou Holtz and asked him if he would speak to our team and he got the team together and gave one of his great talks, which he so eloquently does."

Elliott Avent — Jun 20, 2013; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Eliot Avent (9) watches his team prior to the game against the North Carolina Tarheels during the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Avent added that Holtz signed Putz's hat, which stayed in the New Mexico State dugout for the rest of the season after the interaction with the College Football Hall of Famer. That interaction won Holtz a fan for life in Avent, who obviously still fondly remembers the football coach in his prime, which lasted longer than most college coaches historically.

"Lou Holtz is one of the great coaches of all time, one of the great people of all time," Avent said. "The lessons he taught his players and was one of the great representatives of college football and he will be dearly missed."

Holtz's history at NC State

Lou Holtz statue Notre Dame — Oct 19, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; General view of the statue of Lou Holtz outside of Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Across his four seasons with the Wolfpack, Holtz accumulated a 33-12-3 record, with two bowl wins, a tie and a loss in four postseason appearances. He led the Wolfpack to an ACC title in 1973, which is the second most recent such accomplishment for the football program in Raleigh. He was also awarded the conference's coach of the year award for his efforts in 1972, when NC State finished 8-3-1 and won the Peach Bowl over West Virginia, then coached by Bobby Bowden.

While he wasn't in Raleigh long, he accomplished quite a bit more than many other NC State football coaches. He ultimately left to pursue opportunities at the professional ranks, something he claimed he regretted during a book tour in 2005, according to The Wolfpacker. He ended up coaching the New York Jets for one season before returning to the college ranks with Arkansas, where he experienced similar success to what he did at NC State, but over a longer period of time.

Beyond his coaching career, Holtz was a prominent analyst for both CBS and ESPN, appearing on a number of the latter's college football shows. He left the network in 2015, living in retirement for the next 11 years before his passing.

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