Thank You Lou Holtz, For Loving Notre Dame

Lou Holtz's impact goes far beyond his time in South Bend. Lou reached and motivated countless people from all areas with his unique flair and zest for life.

Jan 1, 1990; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish head coach Lou Holtz is carried off the field following their victory over Colorado winning the 1989 National Championship at the Orange Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Imagn Images © Copyright Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

The college football world has lost a legend as Lou Holtz has passed away at the age of 89, surrounded by his loving family.

While Lou Holtz always had a special and unique bond with the extended Notre Dame family, it's important to recognize just how broad a reach Lou had across the country, impacting thousands of lives from coast to coast in various ways and to varying degrees. Coach Holtz was a special person with a unique gift when it comes to connecting with people, and he will truly be missed.

For many, Lou Holtz was our first introduction to Notre Dame Football

For those in my generation, our first introduction as kids getting into the sport of college football was the Lou Holtz version of Notre Dame. The one-liners, the quips and quotes, the fiery motivational speeches, and yes, the elite winning. At the time this was all taking place, grade school-aged John Kennedy had no idea what he was witnessing.

You see, I had nothing to compare anything to. In my young mind, year after year, Notre Dame had a great coach and was one of the best teams in the land.

This was just my reality. I had no idea at the time that the Irish wouldn't win another title after Lou's departure. I had no idea that the legend of Coach Holtz's communication skills would be something still talked about and cherished nearly 40 years later. Quite frankly, I didn't know how good I had it.

Lou Holtz's Notre Dame is what made me fall in love with Notre Dame. The way my father did with Coach Parseghian and my grandfather did with Frank Leahy. These are special men, Notre Dame men. And I thank them all, especially the man who was tiny in stature but larger than life where it mattered, people's hearts.

Remembering the life and legacy of Lou Holtz

The man who always reminded us to play like a champion 💛☘️

We love you, Coach.#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/iZi7DUsiG4

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) March 4, 2026

Lou Holtz Loved Notre Dame For All The Right Reasons

Aside from all the winning and one-liners, Lou Holtz genuinely loved Notre Dame. Perhaps more than anything else, this matters deeply to the extended Notre Dame family.

Lou wanted what was best for Notre Dame, not his ego, checkbook, or fame status. Coach Holtz knew Notre Dame, he understood Notre Dame, and Irish fans knew it and appreciated it.

Since Lou left South Bend, I have not felt this level of genuine love for the institution as a whole from any head football coach, until now. Marcus Freeman has this love and understanding. And exceptional people skills. And the ability to motivate his players to be their best.

Sound familiar?

In an ideal world, Coach Holtz would have been able to pass the Notre Dame championship torch to Marcus Freeman himself, but that can't happen now. What's the next best thing? Winning it all in his honor.