Legendary college football coach Lou Holtz has died at age 89. His family confirmed he passed away peacefully at his home in Orlando, surrounded by loved ones.
Born January 6, 1937, in Follansbee, Holtz became one of the most respected figures in college football. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, he coached programs including Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, Arkansas Razorbacks football, Minnesota Golden Gophers football, and South Carolina Gamecocks football. His most famous achievement was leading Notre Dame to the 1988 NCAA Division I-A Football National Championship.
Holtz was known for transforming struggling teams and became the only coach to lead six different programs to bowl games. After retiring from coaching in 2004, he worked as a college football analyst for ESPN.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020. Holtz is survived by his four children and was married to Beth Barcus for nearly 60 years until her death in 2020.