(LifeSiteNews) — Former University of Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz, a devoted Catholic and pro-life advocate, died Wednesday at age 89 after entering hospice care near his Florida home in late January.
The beloved Holtz led the Fighting Irish to their last national championship in 1988, compiling a 100-30 record in 11 seasons at the school and finishing No. 2 in the nation twice. His 33-year college coaching career concluded with a 249-132-7 record (10th all time in major college wins) with stops at William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina. He also coached one season in the National Football League with New York Jets but resigned before the end of the 1976 season with a 3-10 record.
After his coaching career ended in 2004, he joined ESPN as a college football analyst, spending a decade with the network before retiring from broadcasting.
Holtz spoke frequently about his Catholic faith; his marriage of almost 59 years to his wife Beth (who passed away from cancer in 2020) that produced four children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; his love for Notre Dame and the Blessed Virgin Mary; and his small-town, hardscrabble upbringing in East Liverpool, Ohio.
The longtime coach was also not afraid to make his opinions known on politics, speaking at the Republican National Convention in 2020 and calling Democrat president nominee Joe Biden “a Catholic in name only.” President Donald Trump awarded Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020.
Additionally, Holtz was revered as a motivational speaker and author. He encouraged young people in particular to adopt a strong spiritual life, including in his book Three Rules for Living a Good Life: A Game Plan for After Graduation published by Ave Maria Press in 2019.
“We need to get back to holding people accountable for their choices, and that includes people in the Catholic Church,” Holtz told the National Catholic Register in 2012 when asked about Catholics accepting only some Church teachings.
“I think the Catholic Church is infallible when it comes to religious principles (on faith and morals). That’s what I was taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame growing up, and I believe that to this day. Do I agree with the practical decisions of Church leaders on some things? Certainly not. But, by the same token, I try to follow the Catholic teachings. That’s what brings meaning and lasting happiness to life.”
In another interview years later, Holtz said that “I don’t go to church to honor the pope; I don’t go to church to honor the priest who might have made some mistakes; I go to church to honor Jesus Christ.”
His final public speaking appearance came in November at the America First Policy Institute, which he served as chairman of its 1776 initiative, saying that the commitment to the American dream must continue and that “we cannot let God down. We must always do what’s right.”
His defense of the unborn was well known. “We’ve got to be the voice for the unborn — or nobody else will,” Holtz once said.
His family said in a statement that Holtz “is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service and an unwavering belief in the potential of others.” He was surrounded by his family when he passed away in Orlando after being in failing health for the past few months. No cause of death was released.
The Notre Dame job fulfilled a lifelong dream for Holtz, who grew up in a small town along the Ohio River in the eastern part of Ohio.
Asked by the Register in 2012 about his fondest memory of Notre Dame, he said, “Every single day being there was very special because there were so many opportunities to encounter and live out the Catholic faith. Mass and confession were always available, and you could pray the Rosary at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is a smaller-sized replica of the original in France.”
Holtz fondly recalled being taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Aloysius Grade School.
“I remember at school that we would pray every Friday before a game for Notre Dame’s success,” Holtz said in a 2025 interview with ESPN. “So, it’s just part of our religion.
“It’s a part of the way we are, and the football team should reflect the values of Notre Dame. That means we had to play with great enthusiasm, we had to play together. We had to play with great character, great integrity, but we also should be playing for Our Lady on the Dome.”
The sisters, he said, played an instrumental role in his formation.
“The Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Aloysius Grade School influenced my life tremendously,” Holtz told the Register. “This was due to the fact that they encouraged you always to make sure that God is the focus of your life, and they didn’t allow you to do anything except to the very best of your ability.
“When this is passed on to you in your formative years, I can’t begin to tell you how important it is. I owe the good sisters so much for what they taught me and will be forever grateful for their selfless dedication.”
Holtz was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. He also received numerous other honors, including the Pro Deo et Patria Award for Distinguished Service to God and Country award from Christendom College in 2021 and an honorary doctorate in communications from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2015. He gave commencement addresses at both schools.
A Mass of Christian Burial is planned at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame, the family said.
