Legendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz dies at 89

Louis Leo “Lou” Holtz, the devout Catholic Hall of Fame college football coach who led Notre Dame to a national championship and became a prominent voice for Catholic values in sports and public life, has died at age 89.

 After entering hospice care in late January, Holtz died March 4 in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by loved ones, according to a statement from his family. 

"Louis Leo 'Lou' Holtz, legendary college football coach, Hall of Famer, bestselling author, and one of America's most influential motivational voices, has passed away," the family said in the statement. They described him as rising "from humble beginnings to become one of the most respected figures in college athletics.” 

Over a coaching career spanning more than five decades, Holtz led programs at William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. 

His most notable tenure was at Notre Dame (1986-1996), where he achieved a 100-30-2 record, won the 1988 national championship with an undefeated season and Fiesta Bowl victory, finished 12-1 in 1989 with an Orange Bowl win, and led the team to nine consecutive bowl games.

According to the university, the famous “Play Like A Champion” sign in the football locker room, which Fighting Irish players strike on the way out to the field, was first hung up during the Holtz era. 

He also removed players’ names from the backs of jerseys to emphasize team unity, a tradition the program still maintains during regular-season games.

Holtz is the only college football coach to date to lead six different programs to bowl games and four to final top-20 rankings. He won multiple Coach of the Year awards and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

In the statement, his family said Holtz “transformed every team he inherited” and remembered him not only for his coaching success but also for the values that guided his life.

“Holtz is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, and an unwavering belief in the potential of others,” the statement said, adding that his influence extended “far beyond the football field through the Holtz Charitable Foundation and the many players, colleagues, and communities shaped by his leadership.”

A devout Catholic, Holtz frequently spoke about the central role faith played in his personal life and leadership.  

During his years at Notre Dame, Holtz held team Mass before games and spoke publicly about how faith guided his decision-making and helped him navigate life’s challenges. He often said he attended church to deepen his relationship with Christ.

Holtz was also active in several Catholic initiatives, serving on the Catholic Advisory Board of Ave Maria Mutual Funds, speaking at Franciscan University of Steubenville, authoring faith-centered books including A Teen’s Game Plan for Life, and speaking out on pro-life issues. 

The Lou Holtz Charitable Foundation supports a range of causes focused on education, health care, and faith-based initiatives, reflecting Holtz’s lifelong commitment to service and helping others succeed.

After retiring from coaching, Holtz became a college football analyst for ESPN and a widely sought motivational speaker. In 2020, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

His wife of more than 50 years, Beth Barcus Holtz, passed away in 2020. The family said the couple shared a life “grounded in faith, devotion, and service.”

According to the family’s statement, funeral arrangements will include a Mass of Christian Burial at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame.