Lou Holtz, the legendary college football coach who led the University of Notre Dame to the 1988 National Championship, has passed away at the age of 89. He died surrounded by family at his home in Orlando, Florida. Holtz had been in hospice care since January.
He led the Irish to the 1988 National Championship with a 12-0 record capped by a victory over West Virginia in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl, beginning a 64-9-1 (.871) run for Holtz at Notre Dame that included a 23-game win streak and back-to-back 12-win seasons for the first time in school history. Holtz won 249 games as a collegiate head coach with 100 of those victories earned at Notre Dame from 1986 through 1996. The "Play Like A Champion" sign that adorns the Irish dressing room was first displayed during the Holtz era, and Holtz also removed names from the back of the football jerseys to emphasize the team dynamic, a tradition that is still followed today during all regular-season games.
Holtz is better remembered as the only coach in college football history to lead six different programs to bowl games. Born January 6, 1937, in Follansbee, West Virginia, Holtz rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most respected figures in college athletics, leading college programs at William & Mary, NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. Holtz is survived by his four children, Luanne; Lou Jr., known as "Skip"; Kevin; and Elizabeth, with the latter three all graduating from Notre Dame.