Lou Holtz, legendary Notre Dame college football coach, dies at 89
EL PASO, Texas -- Lou Holtz, one of the winningest coaches in college football history, who led the University of Notre Dame to an undefeated season in 1988, has died at the age of 89.
Holtz's death was confirmed on Wednesday by the university, which shared a tribute on its website to its former football coach.
“Notre Dame mourns the loss of Lou Holtz, a legendary football coach, a beloved member of the Notre Dame family and devoted husband, father and grandfather,” University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd said in a statement shared online.
"Among his many accomplishments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field, earning their respect and admiration for a lifetime," Dowd said.
Holtz entered hospice care for undisclosed reasons in late January 2026, according to ABC affiliate station WBND in South Bend, Indiana. A statement at the time from Holtz's son, Kevin, on behalf of the Holtz family, said only that his father was "presently facing a health challenge," and that the family's focus was "maintaining his comfort, quality of life and care in his Orlando home."
Holtz served as head coach for a total of six college football teams from 1968 to his retirement in 2004, as well as one year as head coach of the NFL's New York Jets in 1976. But Holtz is best remembered for his 11 seasons as head coach for Notre Dame from 1986 to 1996, during which he famously led the Fighting Irish to a perfect 12-0 season in 1988, capped with a win over West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl, clinching the national championship.
In his 34-year coaching career, Holtz notched 249 wins, 132 losses and seven ties, with 100 of his wins earned at Notre Dame.
"The '88 title season began a 64-9-1 (.871) run for Holtz at Notre Dame that included a 23-game win streak, back-to-back 12-win seasons for the first time in school history and a program-record nine-consecutive bowl game appearances," Notre Dame Athletics states in Holtz's coaching bio.
Holtz left a lasting legacy at Notre Dame, where he began his tenure with the then-struggling team by famously removing player names from their jerseys, emphasizing teamwork over individualism – a tradition that remains in all regular-season games to this day.
The West Virginia native was the first coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games and the only coach to lead four different college football programs to final top 20 rankings.
In addition to coaching Notre Dame for ten years, Holtz coached at William & Mary from 1969-1971; North Carolina State University from 1972-1975; the University of Arkansas from 1977-1983; the University of Minnesota from 1984-85; and the University of South Carolina, where he coached from 1999 until his retirement from coaching in 2004.
In 2008, Holtz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
After retirement, Holtz worked for a time as an on-air college football analyst, including for ESPN. In 2020, he was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, by President Donald Trump at the White House.
Holtz's wife, Beth, died in 2020. He's survived by their four children: Luanne, Louis "Skip" Jr., Kevin, and Elizabeth.
