Now that he’s giving occasionally surreal pep talks and diagnoses to NCAA football teams as part of ESPN’s college pigskin studio crew, it’s easy to forget that Lou Holtz was one of the preeminent coaches in the college game until fairly recently. Let’s look at five things you might not know about Coach Lou:
1. A Young Bill Clinton Had His Back
Throughout his coaching career, Holtz insisted that his players perform well on the field and behave off of it. Sounds like a pretty sound policy, but it didn’t always make him popular with players or win-at-all-costs boosters. In 1977, Holtz’s first season at Arkansas, he found himself in a pickle. Star running back Ben Cowins, top receiver Donny Bobo, and another player were involved in an incident with a woman in a players’ dorm. The woman ended up undressed, and when Holtz caught wind of the story he suspended all three players for the Razorbacks’ Orange Bowl clash with Oklahoma.
Running back Cowins was a decent NFL prospect, and he needed the national exposure of the Orange Bowl to pump up his draft stock. He hired an attorney who filed a suit seeking an injunction to allow the three suspended players to appear in the Orange Bowl. Once Holtz came under legal fire, the university quickly sought top-notch counsel for him in the form of the Arkansas Attorney General, a promising young lawyer named Bill Clinton.
With the help of Clinton and his staff, Holtz’s legal team defended the coach in U.S. District Court, and the players eventually withdrew their lawsuit. Obviously, it was a victory for team discipline, but wouldn’t losing the offense’s two biggest weapons kill the Razorbacks’ Orange Bowl chances against the mighty Sooners? Not quite. Backup running back Roland Sales had an epic 205-yard, two-touchdown game, and the sixth-ranked Arkansas squad crushed number-two Oklahoma 31-6.
2. His Game Didn’t Translate to the Pros
Holtz was a hot up-and-coming coaching talent in 1976. From 1969 to 1971 he’d helmed the College of William & Mary Tribe on a successful run that included what remains the school’s only bowl appearance, a berth in the 1970 Tangerine Bowl. Holtz then jumped to North Carolina State and led the Wolfpack to four bowls in four years while piling up a 31-11-2 record.
Following the 1975 campaign, Holtz jumped to the pros to coach the New York Jets. While making the leap to the NFL seemed like a great opportunity, Holtz’s time with the big boys turned out to be a complete debacle.
Even before the games started, Holtz’s coaching tactics seemed a bit out of place in the NFL; he lined his players up by size for the national anthem and wrote a team fight song that none of the players wanted to sing.
The 1976 Jets stumbled out of the gate with four straight losses, including a humiliating 46-3 loss to the Broncos in Week 2. When the team, which was quarterbacked by an aging Joe Namath, saw its record fall to 3-10, Holtz quit before the season was even over. (Broadway Joe certainly didn’t help Holtz any by completing less than half of his pass attempts.) In a recent interview with Chris Russo on Sirius XM, Holtz said he told Jets ownership that he planned to step down at the end of the season, and he was told to pack his bags immediately.
To his credit, Holtz admitted he bungled his time in the pros, saying, ”God did not put Lou Holtz on this earth to coach in the pros.” He recovered nicely by grabbing the head-coaching job at Arkansas before the 1977 season.
3. His Friendship With Jesse Helms Cost Him
When Holtz was at North Carolina State, he became chummy with North Carolina’s ultraconservative Senator Jesse Helms. The two men continued their friendship even after Holtz moved on to Arkansas, and in 1983 Holtz appeared in a pair of commercials endorsing Helms. The people of Arkansas were less than delighted to see one of their state employees dabbling in another state’s politics, but the move was particularly toxic for Holtz because Helms was in the midst of spearheading a charge to block Martin Luther King Day from becoming a national holiday.
As the outrage over the Holtz-Helms connection gained steam, Holtz resigned under pressure from his Arkansas job on December 19, 1983. He landed on his feet with the head-coaching gig at Minnesota and quickly tried to distance himself from political issues. Upon arriving in Minnesota, Holtz met with Governor Rudy Perpich and publicly told the popular Democrat, “I assure you this, I will have nothing to do with politics.”
4. He Was a Golden Gopher For Life. Except Not.
When Holtz went to the University of Minnesota, he was under the impression that he was signing a lifetime contract. He wanted one exception, though: an out clause that let him leave to take the head coaching job at Notre Dame. The school agreed, but when Holtz received his copy of the lifetime contract, there was no “Notre Dame clause” in it. He refused to sign, and the Gophers eventually gave him a clause that allowed him to leave to take any job he wanted. Holtz’s caution was justified; he got the Notre Dame job just two years later.
5. He’s Quick With a Quip
Although Holtz had a well-deserved reputation as a motivator, some of his most memorable moments came when he was dishing well-timed one-liners, usually at his own expense. When Arkansas fans pelted the field with oranges to celebrate the 1977 Orange Bowl berth, Holtz observed, “Thank God we didn’t get invited to the Gator Bowl.”
During his first season as head coach at South Carolina in 1999, the Gamecocks went 0-11, prompting Holtz to dryly note, “We raise more money per win than any school in the land.” Later, when Holtz had restored the Gamecocks’ program to the point that one writer picked the team to win the SEC in a preseason poll, Holtz deadpanned, “[The writer] probably voted in crayon.”
Another classic Holtz story comes from an attempt to make a little money early in his career by selling cemetery plots. His wife, Beth, warned, “You can’t sell anything.” Holtz later triumphantly joked, “She was wrong. By the end of the summer, I’d sold our stereo, our car, and our television.”
Bob Hope Once Bailed Him Out
One bonus anecdote this week: Holtz and the late Bob Hope were pals and often played golf together. On at least one occasion, the friendship really paid dividends for Holtz. The coach flew to Milwaukee for a speaking engagement in July 1983, and after a ride in a sweltering taxi, Holtz badly needed a shower before stepping to the podium.
There was just one problem, though: when Holtz got to his hotel room, his key broke off in the lock. When maintenance couldn’t open the door, the front desk told Holtz that unfortunately they were totally booked. When Holtz began to loudly despair, another guest opened his door to ask for a little peace and quiet. Holtz recognized the complaining voice as Hope’s, and after a big laugh, the comedian let the coach crash in his room.
’5 Things You Didn’t Know About…’ appears every Friday. Read the previous installments here.
Comments (21)
Comment
- subscribe /
- give a gift /
- terms of service /
- about /
- contact us /
- write for us /
- ad info /
- subscriber services /
- press /
- privacy policy /
- rss /
© 2012 Mental Floss Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mental Floss is a registered trademark owned by Felix Dennis. mentalfloss.com is a trademark owned by Felix Dennis.
Disclaimer: All submissions made to mental_floss become the property of Mental Floss Inc and may be used without further permission by the submitter and without compensation to the submitter. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not submit anything to mental_floss.
Love the man. Great motivational speaker. Wonderful human being.
posted by Hurricane on 7-17-2009 at 10:56 am
Hate the turncoat. 2 yrs at MN and then bolts for ND, also he kept that clause to leave a secret.
Funny thing about Lou Holtz you DIDN’T MENTION. Every school Holtz ever coached at had NCAA sanctions after he left relating to Holtz’s tenure. Except ND.
Are we to believe Holtz played by the rules at ND, but no where else?? Or maybe ND is just protected by the NCAA, cuz god forbid the Golden Domers get tarnished.
Not such a great human being, just a typical, win at all costs football coach, who’d sell his mother for a win.
posted by Jonny on 7-17-2009 at 11:53 am
Jonny, you need something to go with those sour grapes? If the NCAA loves ND so much, what the hell happened to them for the last few years?
Lou Holtz is an amazing man and an amazing story. I’ve got a signed copy of his book, which I’ve read repeatedly. If there were more like him, Joe Paterno, and Bear Bryant, football would be a much more civil game with nicer players off the field.
posted by Dave on 7-17-2009 at 12:17 pm
<>
Amen to that, Dave
posted by Doc on 7-17-2009 at 12:34 pm
And he played intermueral basketball with my dad at Kent State. Bet you didn’t know that either
posted by Julie on 7-17-2009 at 12:47 pm
And he played intermural basketball with my dad at Kent State. I bet you didn’t know that
posted by Julie on 7-17-2009 at 12:51 pm
Great article and great man. I have a mug with one of his better football inspired quotes…”We’re going to get in 2 good hours of practice even if it takes us 6.”
posted by Justin on 7-17-2009 at 2:41 pm
After seeing him on Fox News recently and now learning of his relationship with Jesse Helms, I’ve come to the conclusion that Mr. Holtz is a piece of garbage.
posted by FISHLEGBOOTS on 7-17-2009 at 2:45 pm
His son, Skip Holtz, is also a NCAA football coach. He’s worked at Notre Dame, UConn, South Carolina, and most recently East Carolina.
posted by AmyD on 7-17-2009 at 2:55 pm
6. He was the original choice to play Granny Clampett in the Beverly Hillbillies remake.
posted by Patten on 7-17-2009 at 4:31 pm
Holtz was a fine coach, and seems like an OK guy, but has become a biased, ignorant, incomprehensible commentator. Though all of his spitting and slurring, he still manages to claim that ND will win 9 games and finish in the top 6 every single year.
And, the man is not a saint as Jonny mentioned. Read the “Under the Tarnished Dome”.
Lastly, the NCAA DOES love ND, Dave, which is why – despite their crappy teams over the the last few years – they are still the only program allowed to have their own TV contract and own rules for BCS qualification which leads to the exclusion of more deserving, better skilled, but lesser known schools.
posted by erik on 7-17-2009 at 5:15 pm
FISHLEGBOOTS- Not Fox News?!?!?!? Oh dear Lord have mercy!
The horror, the horror!
What does it say about you that you watched it? Feel dirty now, don’t you? Perhaps a little CNN will make you feel all better again. A little hate will warm you up.
Moron.
posted by Hurricane on 7-17-2009 at 5:32 pm
Thanxfor having my back Erik
@ Dave & Doc
Just because ND has had crappy teams recently, does NOT mean the NCAA isn’t still protecting them from sanctions (past or present). I am NOT accusing the NCAA of rigging games for ND, I am accusing them of turning a blind eye to their violations.
You heard that from Charlie Weis himself, who’s complaining about admission standards, that he can’t get the players he wants cuz they don’t qualify, but somehow, Lou Holtz had no problems recruiting the guys he wanted.
How could Lou win a Nat’l Champ w/out violations, when he incurred sanctions just to make every other team he coached bowl worthy??? Doesn’t pass the smell test.
And its not sour grapes, it happens to be true about your “Sweet Lou” breaking the rules. Unless you’re enjoying them yourself cuz I had the cajones to cast aspersions on your beloved ND.
posted by Jonny on 7-17-2009 at 5:51 pm
Hurricane-Yawn. Sell your douche products elsewhere.
I’ll massage your bottom if it’s sore.
Kisses.
posted by FISHLEGBOOTS on 7-17-2009 at 8:55 pm
Wait a second – 3 players were suspended for sexual misconduct and Bill clinton was the lawyer AGAINST them? Are we sure this wasn’t an episode of the Twilight Zone?
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 7-18-2009 at 10:45 pm
I’m surprised Holtz wasn’t in the hall of fame before now.
In response to Erik, ND probably has their own TV contract because they are an INDEPENDENT without a conference affiliation. Conferences get TV contracts, not individual schools within each conference. ND doesn’t get preferential treatment because they are ND.
posted by Fake Sports News on 7-19-2009 at 12:54 pm
Jonny, Jonny, Jonny….
First off.. I’d sure like to know what violations Notre Dame does that the NCAA is protecting them from sanctions?
And if ND is cheating when it comes to recruiting players, they sure are doing a very bad job of it during the last 14 years or so. Just look at the record !
Also, Charlie Weis has NEVER complained about the entrance standards at Notre Dame. What he has said, which may have confused you, is that “the recruit who is a 4-5 star player coming out of HS, and is looking to go to a school and play just three years and leave for the NFL draft, well, we are NOT going to get that kid here at Notre Dame, because we don’t offer ‘bubble gum 101′ and thats the kind of program that kid is looking for, because he is only focusing on the NFL and is not serious about his academic pursuits.” – C. Weis
Notre Dame has paid a price for their NBC contract. They have not won a National Title since they entered into that contract (1991). And the one year that they did compete for it, (1993), they were politically defeated by a biased poll of reporters and coaches who voted for Florida St. even though Notre Dame beat them straight up in the game of the century, and both teams finished with one loss each. But FSU’s loss was to Notre Dame.
The only reason I can see that the NCAA likes about Notre Dame, is the fact that ND graduates between 92 – 100 % of its scholarship players every year.
As for sanctions, the IRISH did receive sanctions for the Kim Dunbar situation, back in 2000. So they have not been protected by the NCAA. (Unlike USC that has players living in expensive houses, condos and driving very expensive cars, and the NCAA has yet to sanction them for all of this). Why?
Don’t tell ND about fair and unfair treatment. You want rogue programs that have received special treatment, look at Florida St, or Miami or USC… all of those programs should have received serious sanctions for their violations by now. But they have not.
Just thought I’d clear up some things for you, because you are mis-informed and ill-informed, and your hatred for Notre Dame is blinding your ability to look at Notre Dame objectively. You probably think that Mark May is fair and impartial as an analyst too.
posted by College Football rules !!! on 7-27-2009 at 5:22 pm
I met Lou Holtz on board the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2007. He was gracious and patient and everybody enjoyed his stories.
posted by Fred on 8-15-2009 at 10:14 pm
Really sad to see the brown-nosers on this site talking about how they have signed books and met the man once so they know how great he is. Yeah, and people though Bernie Madoff was a great guy before he cheated them. Ask the fans from Minnesota, South Carolina, Arkansas, Notre Dame and others about the allegations and ruin in which he left their programs. You can admire a slimeball all you want, more power to you.
posted by Bradley on 9-9-2009 at 8:25 pm
Sadder still is the fact that no national journalists mentioned anything about Holtz’ trail of allegations and sanctions. If its news for John Calipari, why not for Holtz? Protecting your brethren in the press at the expense of journalistic integrity, i see.
posted by Bradley on 9-9-2009 at 8:27 pm
I have a signed letter from Lou Holtz in which he recommends that I take over the coaching job at ND. Seriously, I have it and nobody is going to touch it until I show the letter to my grand kids.
posted by Pete on 9-16-2009 at 3:48 pm