Some heartbreaking news emerged this week when Lou Holtz’s family announced that the longtime college football coach, now 89, entered hospice care while battling a reported health issue.
While the initial update came two days ago from his son Kevin, Holtz’s other son, Skip — the former head coach of the Birmingham Stallions — shared another update Sunday morning, saying his father is still “fighting the fight.”
“Appreciate everyone’s texts and prayers. Dad is 89 and he is STILL fighting the fight!” Skip posted on X. “Only the man upstairs knows how much time is left on the clock. Cherishing the time we still have together in Orlando.”
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Holtz has long been a revered figure in college football, not only for his tenure at Notre Dame from 1986 to 1996, but also for his time coaching the Arkansas Razorbacks and South Carolina Gamecocks. His head coaching career also included stops at William & Mary, where it all began, as well as NC State and Minnesota.
He retired from coaching in 2004 after six seasons at South Carolina and immediately transitioned to television as an analyst for ESPN, where he was an instant hit. He worked for ESPN from 2004 to 2015.
There was some speculation late Saturday night that Holtz had already passed away, but as his son confirmed Sunday, those reports were not true.
Holtz turned 89 on Jan. 6. In addition to his sons, Skip and Kevin, he is also survived by two daughters, Elizabeth and Luanne. His wife, Beth, to whom he was married for 59 years, passed away in 2020 following a lengthy illness at age 82.
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