Lou Holtz, the legendary college football coach, died at the age of 89 on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
He was best known for leading the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to their last national championship in 1988.
Holtz’s family sources revealed that the veteran coach had been dealing with health issues and was moved to hospice care in Orlando, Florida.
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame’s current head coach, expressed sadness at Holtz’s death and offered a heartfelt tribute.
Freeman said, “We are deeply saddened to learn of Lou Holtz’s passing.”
He added, “Lou’s impact at Notre Dame has extended far beyond the football field. He and his wife, Beth, are respected across campus for their generous hearts and commitment to Notre Dame’s mission.”
Holtz had an illustrious college football coaching career. He coached for 33 seasons and won 249 games, lost 132 and tied 7.
Most of his success came at Notre Dame, where his teams won 100 games, lost 30 and tied 2 between 1986 and 1996.
In addition to Notre Dame, Holtz provided his services to Minnesota, South Carolina, Arkansas, North Carolina State University and William & Mary.
Holtz retired from coaching college football in 2004 after a six-season stint at the University of South Carolina. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
The exact cause of Holtz’s death is still unknown.
Why did Lou Holtz leave Notre Dame?
He left Notre Dame due to “burnout from maintaining the high standards” he had established. The veteran coach coached the team for 11 seasons and left after the 1996 season with a 99-29-2 record.
According to Los Angeles TimesHoltz felt he had achieved all he could and it was the right time to move on rather than just breaking records.
