Lou Holtz a longtime college football coach who led was the coach of the last Notre Dame team to win the National Championship in 1988 turns 76 today. To look at Lou Holtz you would never think -he’s a football coach. He is one of the least likely looking football coaches I can think of.

Lou Holtz is the only coach in college football history to lead six different teams to bowl games. He is the only college football coach to lead four different teams to Top 20 finishes. He coached at six different colleges- William and Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina. His record as a college football coach is 249-132-7.

In 1976 [between his college coaching at North Carolina State and Arkansas} he was a pro football coach with the New York Jets. He resigned with one game to go in his only NFL season with a 3-10 record. Holtz was not happy in the NFL.

One game that really sticks out to me in Holtz coaching career is the 1978 Cotton Bowl when he was coaching at Arkansas. Oklahoma their opponent was in line to win the National Championship with a victory. Just before the game in their last practice they lost All-American guard Leotis Harris to an injury. Holtz suspended his top two running backs and his best wide reciever. No one game Arkansas a chance. Arkansas won the game 31-6.

Lou Holtz always dreamed of coaching at Ohio State where he had been an assistant under the great Woody Hayes. After Hayes was fired for punching the player from Clemson in the Gator Bowl in 1978 the job was open but Holtz didn’t want to be the one to replace Hayes.

It should be noted that after Holtz left Minnesota for Notre Dame, Minnesota was put on probation. At Notre Dame after he left they were put on probation and after his final coaching position at South Carolina they were placed on probation.

“Don’t be a spectator, don’t let life pass you by”- Lou Holtz

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing, motivation determines what you do, attitude determines how well you do it”-Lou Holtz

“Ability  is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do, attitude determines how well you do it”-Lou Holtz

“No one ever drowned in sweat”- Lou Holtz