Lou Holtz

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the American football coach; for other people named Lou Holtz, see Lou Holtz (disambiguation).
Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz in July 2007
Lou Holtz in July 2007
Sport Football
Born January 6, 1937 (1937-01-06) (age 72)
Place of birth Follansbee, West Virginia
Career highlights
Overall NCAA: 249-132-7
(8th All-Time Division I-A by victories)
NFL: 3-10
Bowls 12-8-2
Coaching stats
College Football DataWarehouse
Championships
1988 NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
Awards
1972 ACC Coach of the Year
1977 National Coach of the Year
1988 Paul "Bear" Bryant Award
2000 SEC Coach of the Year
Playing career
1956-1957 Kent State University
Position LB
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1969-1971
1972-1975
1976
1977-1983
1984-1985
1986-1996
1999-2004		 William & Mary Tribe
NC State Wolfpack
New York Jets
Arkansas Razorbacks
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
South Carolina Gamecocks
College Football Hall of Fame, 2008 (Bio)

Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz (born on January 6, 1937 in Follansbee, West Virginia) is an author, television commentator, motivational speaker, and former NCAA football and NFL 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 the final top 20 rankings. He is also a multiple winner of National 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 is 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 Fighting Irish football'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.[1] On May 1, 2008, Holtz was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.[2]

Contents

[edit] Coaching 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 The College of William & Mary (1961–63), the University of Connecticut (1964–65), the University of South Carolina (1966–67) and Ohio State University (1968). The Ohio State Buckeyes won the NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship during Holtz's season in Columbus, Ohio.

[edit] The College of William & Mary

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

[edit] North Carolina State University

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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] University of Arkansas

Holtz went to the University of Arkansas in 1977. In his seven years there, the Arkansas 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 the Oklahoma Sooners, then coached by University of Arkansas alumnus Barry Switzer. The Sooners were in position to win their third national championship in four seasons, after top-ranked Texas lost earlier in the day to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. 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.

[edit] University of 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 Minnesota 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 Golden Gophers in that bowl game, as he had already accepted the head coaching position at the University of Notre Dame. His contract included a "Notre Dame clause" that allowed him to leave if the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coaching job were to become available. [3]

[edit] University of Notre Dame

In 1986, Holtz left the University of Minnesota to take over the then-struggling Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program. A taskmaster and strict disciplinarian, 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 and the 2008 Hawaii Bowl, names have not been included on Notre Dame's team jerseys ever since. 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.[4] In the season finale against the archrival USC Trojans, Notre Dame overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and pulled out a 38-37 win over the stunned USC team.[4]

In his second season, Holtz led the Fighting Irish to an appearance in the Cotton Bowl, where the Irish lost to the Texas A&M Aggies, 35–10.[4] The following year, Notre Dame won all eleven of their regular season games and defeated the third-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers, 34-21, in the Fiesta Bowl, claiming the NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship. The 1989 squad also won their first eleven games (and in the process set a school record with a 23-game winning streak[4]) 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 only 1 loss at season's end (Notre Dame lost to seventeenth-ranked Boston College), FSU was then voted national champion in the final 1993 AP and Coaches poll. Between 1988 and 1993, Holtz's teams posted an overall 64–9–1 record.[4] He also took the Irish to bowl games for nine consecutive seasons, still a Notre Dame record, and has referred to Notre Dame football as the "Michelangelo" of the NCAA.[4]

On September 13, 2008 Lou Holtz was invited back to the campus where a statue of the former coach was unveiled. The ceremony took place during the weekend of the Notre Dame/Michigan game, almost twenty-two years to the day when Holtz coached his first Notre Dame team against the Wolverines.

[edit] First retirement

Lou 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." He was succeeded by defensive coordinator Bob Davie.

In 1996, two members of the Minnesota Vikings's ownership board, Wheelock Whitney and Jaye Dyer, reportedly contacted Holtz. They wanted to bring him in to replace Dennis Green.[5] Of the rumors surrounding the reasons for Holtz's retirement, one of them was the possible Vikings head coaching position.[6]

[edit] University of South Carolina

After two seasons as a commentator for CBS Sports, Holtz came out of retirement in 1999 and returned to the University of South Carolina, where he had been an assistant in the 1960s. The year before Holtz arrived, the South Carolina Gamecocks went 1–10, and the team subsequently went 0-11, during Holtz's first season.

In his second season, South Carolina went 8–4, winning the Outback Bowl over the heavily-favored Ohio State Buckeyes. 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.[7] In his third season, Holtz's success continued, 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.

[edit] Second retirement

On November 18, 2004, Holtz announced that he would retire at the end of the season. On November 21, 2004, the South Carolina-Clemson brawl took place during Holtz' last regular season game.[8] 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.[8] 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". Holtz also alluded to his assistance in recruiting his successor, Steve Spurrier.[8]

[edit] Books

Holtz is the author of five books.

[edit] 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. He works on the secondary studio team, located in Bristol as opposed to the game site. He typically appears on pregame, halftime, and postgame shows on college football games. In addition, he appears on the College Football Scoreboard, College Football Final, SportsCenter, and the occasional game. He typically partners with Rece Davis and Mark May.

[edit] Personal life

 This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2008)
(Find sources: Lou Holtz – news, books, scholar)

Holtz married 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 Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. He is also an advocate for people with speech impediments and donates his time to children who suffer from such disorders.

[edit] Collegiate coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl Rank#
William & Mary (Southern Conference) (1969–1971)
1969 William & Mary 3-7 2-2 4
1970 William & Mary 5-7 3-1 1 L 12-40 (Toledo) Tangerine Bowl
1971 William & Mary 5-6 4-1 2
William & Mary: 13-20 9-4
North Carolina State (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1972–1975)
1972 North Carolina State 8-3-1 4-1-1 2 W 49-13 (WVU) Peach Bowl
1973 North Carolina State 9-3 6-0 1 W 31-18 (Kansas) Liberty Bowl
1974 North Carolina State 9-2-1 4-2 2 T 31-31 (Houston) Bluebonnet Bowl 9
1975 North Carolina State 7-4-1 2-2-1 4 L 10-13 (WVU) Peach Bowl
North Carolina State: 33-12-3 16-5-2
Arkansas (Southwest Conference) (1977–1983)
1977 Arkansas 11-1 7-1 2 W 31-6 (Okla) Orange Bowl 3
1978 Arkansas 9-2-1 6-2 2 T 10-10 (UCLA) Fiesta Bowl 10
1979 Arkansas 10-2 7-1 1 (t) L 24-9 (Bama) Sugar Bowl 9
1980 Arkansas 7-5 3-5 6 W 34-14 (Tulane) Hall of Fame Classic
1981 Arkansas 8-4 5-3 4 L 27-31 (UNC) Gator Bowl 16
1982 Arkansas 9-2-1 5-2-1 3 W 28-24 (UF) Bluebonnet Bowl 8
1983 Arkansas 6-5 4-4 5
Arkansas: 60-21-2 37-18-1
Minnesota (Big Ten Conference) (1984–1985)
1984 Minnesota 4-7 3-6 8
1985 Minnesota 6-5 4-4 6 W 20-13 (Clemson) Independence Bowl
Minnesota: 10-12 7-10
Notre Dame (Independent) (1986–1996)
1986 Notre Dame 5-6
1987 Notre Dame 8-4 L 10-35 (TAMU) Cotton Bowl
1988 Notre Dame 12-0 W 34-21 (WVU) Fiesta Bowl 1
1989 Notre Dame 12-1 W 21-6 (CU) Orange Bowl 3
1990 Notre Dame 9-3 L 9-10 (CU) Orange Bowl 6
1991 Notre Dame 10-3 W 39-28 (UF) Sugar Bowl 12
1992 Notre Dame 10-1-1 W 28-3 (TAMU) Cotton Bowl 4
1993 Notre Dame 11-1 W 24-21 (TAMU) Cotton Bowl 2
1994 Notre Dame 6-5-1 L 24-41 (CU) Fiesta Bowl
1995 Notre Dame 9-3 L 26-31 (FSU) 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 6 - East
2000 South Carolina 8-4 5-3 2 - East W 24-7 (OSU) Outback Bowl 21
2001 South Carolina 9-3 5-3 3 - East W 31-28 (OSU) Outback Bowl 13
2002 South Carolina 5-7 3-5 4 - East
2003 South Carolina 5-7 2-6 4 - East
2004 South Carolina 6-5 4-4 3 - East
South Carolina: 33-37 19-29
Total: 249-132-7
      National Championship         Conference Title         Conference Division Title
#Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season.

Source: [9]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Parseghian and Holtz To Coach Blue-Gold Game - UHND.com
  2. ^ "Aikman, Cannon, Holtz head for College Football Hall of Fame". 2008-05-01. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/ncaa/05/01/cfb.hall.ap/index.html. 
  3. ^ Reflections of the Dome
  4. ^ a b c d e f "2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: History and Records (pages 131-175)". und.cstv.com. http://und.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/nd/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/07fbguidehistory. Retrieved on 2008-07-10. 
  5. ^ Vikings' owners divided on Holtz. Ron Lesko. Associated Press. November 19, 1996. copy hosted on southcoasttoday.com
  6. ^ VIKINGS' GREEN SAYS HIS TEAM'S IN HUNT Lee Shappell. Arizona Republic
  7. ^ NCAA football records, p. 67.
  8. ^ a b c Thamel, Pete (2004-11-23). "Holtz Goes; Brawlers Won't Play On in Bowls". nytimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/23/sports/ncaafootball/23football.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. Retrieved on 2008-07-28. 
  9. ^ "Lou Holtz Records By Year". cfbdatawarehouse.com. http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=1103. Retrieved on 2008-07-28. 

[edit] External links

Search Wikiquote Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Lou Holtz
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Holtz"
Personal tools
Languages