Update on Lou Holtz from His Family

The son of the renowned college football coach, Lou Holtz, provided a recent update about his father’s condition, following his admission to hospice care earlier in the week.

Skip Holtz shared on social media that his father is “still fighting.” He expressed gratitude for the numerous messages and prayers, stating, “Dad is 89 years old and still fighting! Only the man upstairs knows how much time is left on the clock. We cherish the time we still have together in Orlando.”

Additionally, Kevin Holtz confirmed on Saturday that Lou is receiving hospice care. He wrote on Facebook, “The Holtz family—Luann Altenbaumer, Skip Holtz, and Liz Holtz Messaglia—shares the difficult news that our father, Coach Lou Holtz, is currently facing health issues. While these are difficult times, we focus on maintaining his comfort and quality of life at home in Orlando.” He emphasized the importance of family, noting, “We are focused on holding each other close and making every moment and day count. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and support, but we ask for privacy as we move forward on this journey.”

Lou Holtz is widely recognized for his tenure as a coach at Arkansas and Notre Dame, having coached college football for 33 years. He led the Fighting Irish for 11 seasons from 1986 to 1996, achieving a notable record of 110 wins to 30 losses and 2 ties. Notably, in 1988, Notre Dame finished the season with a perfect 12-0 record, culminating in a national championship win at the Fiesta Bowl. Overall, he tallied 249 wins, 132 losses, and 7 ties during his coaching career.

Holtz gained further acclaim through his work as a college football analyst at ESPN. His coaching journey began at Kent State University, eventually leading to his first head coaching position at William & Mary in 1969. He later moved to North Carolina State for four seasons before attempting a venture into the NFL that ultimately didn’t pan out. He resigned after the Jets finished with a 3-10 record.

In recent years, Holtz has been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump. In February 2024, he expressed his views on social media regarding the need to “make America great again!”

Before passing away, Holtz spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Joe Biden shortly following the latter’s victory over Trump in the election.