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College Football World Reacts to Lou Holtz's Death

The college football world reacts to the death of longtime head football coach and media analyst Lou Holtz on social media.
Tucker Harlin|
Two-time Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year recipient Lou Holtz speaks during the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year press conference
Two-time Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year recipient Lou Holtz speaks during the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year press conference | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

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Notre Dame Fighting IrishArkansas RazorbacksSouth Carolina GamecocksMinnesota Golden GophersNorth Carolina State Wolfpack

Legendary college football coach and college football broadcaster Lou Holtz passed away at the age of 89 on Wednesday. From his days as a college football player to his final years at ESPN, Holtz was directly involved in college football for nearly 60 years of his life.

Holtz played linebacker at Kent State from 1956 to 1957. Three years after his playing career with the Golden Flashes ended, Holtz embarked on a nine-year journey of the college football coaching ladder as an assistant with stops at William & Mary, Connecticut, South Carolina and Ohio State.

William & Mary was the first program to give Holtz a head coaching opportunity in 1969. In three seasons on the job, Holtz posted a 13-20 overall record, his best season coming in 1970 with a Southern Conference title and an appearance in the Tangerine Bowl.

Holtz took his next head coaching job at NC State in 1972. His record with the Wolf Pack was considerably better than his record with the tribe; NC State posted a 33-12-3 overall mark under Holtz's leadership, a run highlighted by an ACC title in 1973.

After an unsuccessful tenure with the New York Jets, Holtz returned to the college ranks as the head coach at Arkansas in 1977. His tenure with the Razorbacks lasted seven seasons, a stretch where he compiled a 60-21-2 overall record.

Holtz spent two seasons at Minnesota before embarking on his 11-year tenure at Notre Dame in 1986. The Fighting Irish won 100 games and were crowned the 1988 national champions under Holtz's watch. He is responsible for the "Play Like A Champion Today" sign in Notre Dame's locker room.

Three years after Holtz retired from Notre Dame, he returned to college football coaching at South Carolina in 1999. At its best under Holtz, South Carolina appeared to have won a pair of Outback Bowls in 2000 and 2001. He retired from coaching for the final time after the 2004 season.

Broadcasting career

Holtz's first work as a college football analyst was at CBS Sports in the late 1990s between his tenures at Notre Dame and South Carolina. His second stint in broadcasting began at ESPN in 2005 after he retired from South Carolina.

Holtz's most notable work at ESPN was on its popular "College Football Final" show, in which he and fellow analyst Mark May debated while Rece Davis sat in front of them dressed in judicial robes.

In the wake of Holtz's passing, the college football world was abuzz on social media. Multiple former players, current coaches, and national media members expressed their condolences on Wednesday.

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Tucker Harlin
TUCKER HARLIN

Tucker Harlin is a passionate sports fan and journalist covering college sports. His work can be found on Vols Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and The Voice of College Football Network. He graduated from the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Tennessee in 2024 and is based in Nashville.

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