Every sport has recognizable legends that make fans want to tune in and create folklore to be passed down from one generation to the next. Baseball legends include names like Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Jackie Robinson, and Babe Ruth, while basketball has Micheal Jordan, and Hockey has Wayne Gretzky. Football legends include guys like Vince Lombardi, and Lou Holtz, with the latter having just received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor in America and is awarded to those who had a significant impact on America’s culture.
Holtz, a recognizable name in college football, is one of the most successful coaches of all-time. He is the only coach to lead six different schools to a bowl game and the only coach to have four different schools finish inside the top 20. Holtz started his coaching career at the College of William and Mary before stints with NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. His career college coaching record is 249-132-7.
Most people recognize Holtz for his time with Notre Dame from 1986 to 1996. It was his most successful run as a head coach. The Fighting Irish made a bowl game every year except 1986 and 1996 under Lou Holtz’s leadership, including a national championship title in 1988. His final record at Notre Dame is 100-30-2.
Holtz had consistent success at NC State, leading the Wolfpack to a bowl game every year he was coach. His tenure with the program lasted from 1972 to 1975 and compiled a 33-12-3 record. Holtz also had a successful run at Arkansas from 1977 to 1983, leading the Razorbacks to a bowl game every year except 1983 and finished 60-21-2 overall.
Lou Holtz retired in 2004 following a stint at South Carolina, where he led the Gamecocks to back-to-back victories in the Outback Bowl in the 2000 and 2001 seasons and had the Gamecocks ranked inside the top 20 for both years. His overall record at South Carolina was 33-37 from 1999 to 2004.
Lou Holtz has been an ESPN college football analyst since 2005 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
For his many contributions to the game of college football, it is fitting that the 83-year-old coaching legend Lou Holtz received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on December 3, 2020. This final accolade has now forever cemented Holtz as one of the greatest American icons.
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