Former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz dies at 89

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MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Legendary college football coach Lou Holtz died on Wednesday. He was 89 years old.

Holtz was one of the biggest names in college football, leading Notre Dame to a national championship in 1988. He also has Minnesota connections.

Lou Holtz spent 2 seasons at Minnesota

Local perspective

Holtz was the Gophers’ head coach for two seasons, in 1984 and 1985. He led the Gophers to a 10-12 combined record, including a 7-10 mark in Big Ten play.

Notre Dame prominence

What we know

Holtz left Minnesota for the head coaching job at Notre Dame, and put together one of the most impressive runs in college football history. Holtz went 100-30-2, and led the Fighting Irish to a national championship in 1988.

Holtz was hired in South Bend ahead of the 1986 season, and in two years reached the pinnacle of the sport.

That national championship season was the start of a 64-9-1 run for Holtz at Notre Dame. He led the Irish to a 23-game win streak, back-to-back 12-win seasons and nine consecutive bowl game appearances. Those nine-straight bowl appearances were a program record. 

Holtz instituted the "Play Like A Champion Today" sign outside of the Notre Dame locker room that players still honor in the present day.

As a head coach with stints at South Carolina, Arkansas, Minnesota, William & Mary and N.C. State, Holtz won 249 games. He earned 100 of those victories at Notre Dame from 1986 to 1996. 

Holtz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Life after football

Dig deeper

After his head coaching career ended in 2004, capping a six-year run at South Carolina, Holtz took his talents to the broadcasting booth. He worked for both CBS Sports and ESPN as a college football analyst. 

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