Lou Holtz, former Notre Dame coach, dies at 89

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 06:54 PM

Dammit. RIP, coach.

Have a few Holtz stories. Will go down memory-lane today.

He always wanted to be the Notre Dame coach. Got to live out his dream. And did it well.

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 06:57 PM

First thing that comes to mind = 1988. It wasn't a PERFECT team. More like different pieces that came together and played well as a team.

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 07:02 PM

Holtz mentions the tough schedule at start of this clip. That sticks out to me.

Before the Playoff system, you rarely had a team that went thru the gauntlet. It was usually beating a couple top teams. 1988 Not Dame really cleared out most of the teams in the top half of the Top 10.

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 07:08 PM

So many great players on that '88 team:
Stonebreaker
Kowalkowski
Zorich
Eilers

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 07:10 PM

Smagala/Heck/TheRocket/ToddLyght

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 07:20 PM

A few other things about Holtz. Not all of this was known:

1) Wasn't a physically imposing guy. So he may not cast a huge shadow.
2) Guy was pretty tough. He wanted his players ready for game-day.
3) Did very well on the speaking tour after his coaching days. Made good money.

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 07:26 PM

"Pat Eilers? Maybe you shoulda stayed at Yale."

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 09:43 PM

Excellent team. DE Jeff Alm was a monster. Died at age 25 of suicide after a bad car crash.

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-04-26, 09:55 PM

Thinking back on the '88 squad:
*Notre Dame played 4 Top 6 teams (Mich/MIAFL/USC/WestVA): went 4-0.
*Ismail is arguably the top Return threat ever. If not #1, he's up there. And Watters returned a punt for TD as well.
*Very well-balanced team. Off Line had Grunhard and Heck. Team always looks a little better when the Off Line is rock-solid.

As for Lou, best tribute I can give is that he fit in w/ the great Notre Dame coaches. Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian. Add Holtz to the list of National Championship coaches.

RIP, my man.

JAKEPEAVY21 · 03-05-26, 08:29 AM

RIP

ND should have won the '89 National Championship as well. They beat Florida St H2H and they both had one loss although ND's loss came late in the season to Tom Coughlin's Boston College. FSU got the votes because the voters had a soft spot for Bobby Bowden.

hawkwind · 03-06-26, 10:57 AM

R.I.P. Lou U Lived Well !!!

Headsterx · 03-06-26, 09:25 PM

RIP Lou. Great guy.

ChuckyTheGoat · 03-11-26, 04:43 PM

Originally posted by ChuckyTheGoat

A few other things about Holtz. Not all of this was known:

1) Wasn't a physically imposing guy. So he may not cast a huge shadow.
2) Guy was pretty tough. He wanted his players ready for game-day.
3) Did very well on the speaking tour after his coaching days. Made good money.

stevenash · 03-11-26, 05:25 PM

^
Keith Olbermann once called Holzt "Catholic in name only."

Keith can rot in hell for all I care.