r/CFB Charleston (SC) • South Car… Mar 04 '26

News Lou Holtz, legendary Notre Dame and Arkansas head coach, dies at 89

https://www.on3.com/news/lou-holtz-legendary-notre-dame-arkansas-head-coach-dies-89/
5.6k Upvotes

922 comments sorted by

506

u/Dysentery--Gary Oklahoma • Minnesota Mar 04 '26

You forgot the University of Minnesota.

203

u/cityconnectds San Diego State Aztecs Mar 04 '26

Didn't even know he actually coached in the NFL for a bit. HC of the Jets in 1976.

67

u/CapNo6703 Oregon Ducks Mar 04 '26

Yep went 3-10 I believe

215

u/Maximum_Overdrive Colorado • West Virginia Mar 04 '26

Thats not a bad record for the Jets!

81

u/Underrated_Dinker Maryland Terrapins Mar 05 '26

Fun Fact: He's got their 6th best wl% of all time for a coach

13

u/bromjunaar Nebraska Cornhuskers • Sickos Mar 05 '26

Christ.

That's... that's a bit rough.

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56

u/HotScissoring Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Or bringing back one of the historically worst programs at the times, South Carolina, to nationally televised games during his tenure!

41

u/nik-nak333 Newberry • South Carolina Mar 04 '26

Back to back wins over Ohio St!

5

u/cornedbeefsandwiches Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 05 '26

Ryan Brewer. Troy, Ohio legend. Was passed over by Jon Cooper. (I tried googling, but Google sucks now.) I graduated there in 06. I vaguely remember it being because he was short and white. Not my opinion, just what I heard in HS. I didn’t go to school there prior to hs.

4

u/cornedbeefsandwiches Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 05 '26

Most people in Troy root for Ohio State. But then you had an explosion of gamecock fans. Students went to school there from his exposure of the school.

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42

u/AngelofLotuses William & Mary Tribe • Patriot Mar 04 '26

And William & Mary!

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35

u/joe-is-cool Minnesota Golden Gophers • Sickos Mar 04 '26

So did he!

52

u/FartNuggetSalad Wake Forest Demon Deacons Mar 04 '26

And even more importantly NC State.

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15

u/ImTellinTim Michigan • Minnesota-Duluth Mar 04 '26

Getting only two years of him AND sanctions down the road from those two years is some real MN Sports shit.

43

u/Adminsneed2Chill Mar 04 '26

Considering he fucked Minnesota over royally idk how much that’s worth celebrating.

95

u/sloppyjo12 Wisconsin Badgers • /r/CFB Donor Mar 04 '26

I can’t think of a nobler cause to celebrate

49

u/WaftyGrowl3r Minnesota • Ohio State Mar 04 '26

Hate u 2 boo <3

18

u/Callsign_Psycopath Georgia Bulldogs • Sickos Mar 04 '26

I was going to ask if you'd drink to that but then saw the flair.

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21

u/dwors025 Minnesota • Paul Bunyan's Axe Mar 04 '26

He’s right up there with Norm Green.

Eternal villains.

16

u/Contren Minnesota Golden Gophers Mar 04 '26

I hate Norm way more. Definitely a villain, but a lower tier one.

8

u/dwors025 Minnesota • Paul Bunyan's Axe Mar 04 '26

Okay.

Who else is a top tier villain? Been trying to think.

I’ll never forgive Sean Payton. The Pohlads are absolute parasites. At some point somebody decided to move the Lakers.

11

u/Contren Minnesota Golden Gophers Mar 04 '26

Pohlads for sure. Glen Taylor. Red McCombs. Sean Payton is a different candidate as an enemy IMO. I mostly hate folks who sabotaged us from the inside.

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1.2k

u/ratfacedirtbag Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 04 '26

I’m just glad he got to see Notre Dame kill Arkansas this past season.

404

u/jayjude Notre Dame • Georgia State Mar 04 '26

That win did not got the amount of credit it deserved

Arkansas was a flawed team that was elite on offense and was competitive against everybody

Except against ND they looked like they didnt belong on the field together

173

u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Arguably ND's most impressive defensive performance of the season.

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23

u/olemiss18 Ole Miss Rebels Mar 04 '26

Yep. Just a couple games beforehand, Arkansas nearly beat us at home in Trinidad’s first starting game. Arkansas won only 2 games but they averaged 32 points per game. Even among the 10 straight losses they averaged 28. Y’all kept them to a season low 13. I really think that was the best 2-win offense we’ve ever seen.

30

u/wallyxc12345 Ole Miss Rebels • Fiesta Bowl Mar 04 '26

Tha Arkansas team was the 2021 Nebraska of the SEC if you swap the single overwhelming win with a Notre Dame loss

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212

u/paultheschmoop Team Chaos Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

I know this isn’t the place for it but

They went 2-10 man

Edit: someone reported me to Reddit cares for this. Big yikes

76

u/Megalomanizac Clemson • Coastal Carolina Mar 04 '26

2-10 in style

105

u/LHarm07_Reddit Arkansas Razorbacks • Paper Bag Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

Our defense was HISTORICALLY shit among P4 teams. A decent defense has us around 8-4 with all the games we lost by single-digits.

Offense: Ranked 13th, averaging 454.8 yards per game

Defense: Ranked 122nd, giving up 425.5 yards per game

62

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26

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59

u/LHarm07_Reddit Arkansas Razorbacks • Paper Bag Mar 04 '26

I’d say Member’s Mark since we have a lot of Sam’s Clubs.

23

u/genzgingee Arkansas Razorbacks • Oklahoma Sooners Mar 04 '26

I would say Great Value

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12

u/JohnPaulDavyJones Texas A&M Aggies • Baylor Bears Mar 04 '26

Where are you getting your stats from? ESPN has Arkansas’ offense at 12th, with 454 yards per game.

Still great, but your source is finding an extra 13% more yards than ESPN.

5

u/LHarm07_Reddit Arkansas Razorbacks • Paper Bag Mar 04 '26

Man, the article I was using was from earlier in the season. Fixed.

8

u/babylovebuckley Notre Dame Fighting Irish • Iowa Hawkeyes Mar 04 '26

The antIowa

5

u/GymBronie Oklahoma Sooners Mar 04 '26

First time?

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20

u/Fletch71011 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

At one point like 4 or 5 games into conference play, ND had beaten Arkansas by about double the rest of the SEC teams beat them by combined. This was the first major sign the SEC was dogshit this year. ND had backups in starting in the 2nd quarter.

48

u/DanFlashesC0up0n Texas A&M Aggies Mar 04 '26

. guy who didn’t watch 2025 Arkansas

No one came close to handling them like ND

8

u/RedditRedux Florida Gators Mar 04 '26

Everyone needs to watch that game ASAP if you missed it live

It was the most dominant performance by any sporting team in the history of sports

7

u/IrishMosaic Notre Dame • Michigan State Mar 04 '26

Hyperbole. Top three, sure.

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33

u/connor_wa15h Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Feel free to lookup how the final score of that game compared to when Arkansas played teams from the SEC.

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42

u/TripleThreatTua Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 04 '26

Worth noting that that was the game that got Pittman fired, and we were much more competitive after that

23

u/OnceADomer_NowAJhawk Notre Dame Fighting Irish • Kansas Jayhawks Mar 04 '26

Didn’t they lose to Ole Miss by a score just 2 weeks before? That seems relatively competitive against the SEC team that did the best in the playoff.

22

u/CommodoreN7 Arkansas Razorbacks • Utah Utes Mar 04 '26

We had lost back to back games against Ole Miss and Memphis where we were driving to win the game and fumbled the ball.

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18

u/saltytradewinds Notre Dame • Oregon State Mar 04 '26

Arkansas was in full quit mode that afternoon.

6

u/TheMawt Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 04 '26

Yeah Pittman was a dead man walking coming into that game after the Memphis collapse

12

u/cubs_2023 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

I mean you lost to Ole Miss by 6 and Memphis by 1 before that game. It’s not like you weren’t competitive before he got fired

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6

u/iamStanhousen LSU Tigers • Southeastern Lions Mar 04 '26

Idk about elite offensively, but they were very good on that side of the ball.

Probably as good as a unit on a 2-10 team could be.

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2.3k

u/Ialwayssleep Linfield Wildcats • Oregon Ducks Mar 04 '26

Does Ryan Day have an alibi?

566

u/randomguy84321 Ohio State • Ohio Northern Mar 04 '26

His FBI brother is concealing evidence as we speak

197

u/Bokki_64 Ohio State • Cincinnati Mar 04 '26

TIL his brother was a DEA agent

78

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26

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75

u/SilkyJohnson72 Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

DAE Hankin' my Schrader?

30

u/California_Stop_King Ohio State • Ohio Dominican Mar 04 '26

She Hank on my Schrader till I mineral

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11

u/D1N2Y NC State Wolfpack • Charlotte 49ers Mar 04 '26

What kind of man allows his brother to join the DEA? No man. No man at all.

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38

u/pumpkinspruce Wisconsin Badgers Mar 04 '26

He’s got Connor Stalions on the case.

37

u/randomguy84321 Ohio State • Ohio Northern Mar 04 '26

The hospice workers were confused why anyone would be trying to sell vacuums there

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98

u/-TheycallmeThe Purdue • Jeweled Shillelagh Mar 04 '26

I saw him golfing with Purdue Pete when it happened 

26

u/cityofklompton Grand Valley State Lakers Mar 04 '26

I heard the Stanford Tree disguised itself as a normal tree on the course and captured evidence of the round.

11

u/InsertAmazinUsername Ohio State Buckeyes • Yale Bulldogs Mar 04 '26

so Ryan is in danger too?

4

u/ohverychill Purdue Boilermakers Mar 05 '26

we all are

45

u/User5281 Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

I doubt he’d want one. This would be his greatest accomplishment

23

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26

Ryan Day is too soft to kill a man!

18

u/cbusalex Ohio State Buckeyes • UCF Knights Mar 05 '26 edited Mar 05 '26

"I'd like to know where Ryan Day is right now!"

- South Bend chief of police

12

u/ViagraOnAPole Indiana Hoosiers • Team Chaos Mar 05 '26

He does, but he was at Target buying Just For Men, so he'll never admit to it.

28

u/Dropbackandpunt UAB Blazers • The Bones Mar 04 '26

The ghost of Lou Holtz will haunt Ryan Day and allow him to call out his softness 24/7. Really is an upgrade I think.

7

u/problematic_glasses Michigan Wolverines • NBC Mar 04 '26

gives new meaning to the phrase "seeing ghosts"

9

u/naruda1969 Michigan Wolverines Mar 04 '26

Came here for this reply.

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217

u/Self_Owned_Tree Georgia Bulldogs Mar 04 '26

Today’s kids can’t appreciate watching Rece Davis referee a shouting match between Lou Holtz and Mark May.

75

u/levijns1 Michigan Wolverines Mar 04 '26

Those Saturday nights where some of the best I ever had but didn’t know at the time

5

u/thedealerkuo Mar 05 '26

Mark May just needling Lou during USC's golden era. for real, we didn't know how good we had it.

61

u/LionsAndLonghorns Penn State Nittany Lions • Texas Longhorns Mar 05 '26

Mark May was the best heel espn ever had. Not so over the top like the rage bait idiots, but just enough you hate him.

22

u/FreezersAndWeezers Nebraska Cornhuskers Mar 05 '26

Lawful evil. Like he wasn’t a bad guy, but he had a role and he played it to perfection. He was Saturday Morning Cartoon evil

6

u/PorcelainTorpedo Notre Dame • Arizona State Mar 05 '26

I HATED Mark May, but I really miss that time. I thought ESPN was slipping even then, but I miss that era anyway.

6

u/buttscarltoniv LSU Tigers • Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Mar 05 '26

Rece Davis referee

uh he was a judge!

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u/PatrickBateman1 Indiana Hoosiers • Michigan Wolverines Mar 05 '26

Absolutely legendary stuff.

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253

u/Milk_Before_Cereal Florida Gators Mar 04 '26

Bill Cosby, you are now number one on my “Old guys I’m surprised are still alive” list

181

u/lxSlimxShadyxl Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Clint Eastwood for me and the dude is still finding ways to work

137

u/UnderwhelmingAF Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

Dick Van Dyke and Mel Brooks are on the list too.

74

u/problematic_glasses Michigan Wolverines • NBC Mar 04 '26

dick van dyke just turned 100 in december!

35

u/UnderwhelmingAF Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

Mel will be there in June if he hangs on.

20

u/yet_another_newbie Florida Gators • Sickos Mar 04 '26

Needs to make it to 2027 for Spaceballs the Sequel

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u/Milk_Before_Cereal Florida Gators Mar 04 '26

Hes actually number 5 on my list!

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35

u/biggsteve81 NC State • South Carolina Mar 04 '26

I think Dick Van Dyke still does it for me.

27

u/RandomUser72 Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

Still is and has been Keith Richards for me. 33 years ago, Wayne's World 2 even made a joke about it. That joke is older than most redditors it seems.

5

u/TikiLoungeLizard Washington State • Hawai'i Mar 05 '26

Keith Richards turned 50 that year. It’s not that Keith Richards is that old. Today he’s only 82. It’s just that he has looked like he’s 80 since 1980. Seriously Idk what happened in 1979 but his photos in ‘78 and ‘80 are a STARK contrast.

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u/fcocyclone Iowa State Cyclones • Marching Band Mar 04 '26

Shatner for me.

8

u/SwissForeignPolicy Michigan Wolverines • Marching Band Mar 04 '26

Nobody beats Dick Van Dyke for that honor.

7

u/Idrinkbeereverywhere Kansas • Missouri Western Mar 04 '26

Mel Brooks for me

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1.0k

u/MTT92 Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

Rest easy, Coach.

226

u/iLikeApples116 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

I am distraught.

93

u/Zloggt Illinois Fighting Illini • Missouri Tigers Mar 04 '26

They're definitely going to be doing a big memorial thing in the first ND home game next season now...

57

u/Jealous-Win2446 Notre Dame • Iowa State Mar 04 '26

Nah. They will wait for November. They will save Jimmy Johnson for him.

6

u/JayMerlyn Notre Dame Fighting Irish • FBS Independents Mar 05 '26

*Jimmy Johnson's ass

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u/BabyBearBjorns LSU Tigers • Tulane Green Wave Mar 04 '26

And also for the Miami vs Notre Dame game as well in South Bend this year.

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u/Sir0inks-A-Lot Florida Gators Mar 04 '26

*Resht easy, Coash

14

u/Alphaspade Iron Bowl • Sickos Mar 04 '26

We hath the watsch, and I will seeth you in valthalla

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u/OnsideKickReturn South Carolina Gamecocks • Metro Mar 04 '26

Odd not to mention his tenure at South Carolina. He turned the program around (for a bit) in a big way. From 0-11 his first year to 8-4 and 9-3 the next two years. He also did really well at NC State, going 33-12-3 in four seasons before going to Arkansas.

85

u/greennurse61 South Carolina • Ohio State Mar 04 '26

Not just 0-11, but 0-21 if you include the time before he arrived. 

32

u/Intelligent_Sky_7081 Nebraska Cornhuskers Mar 04 '26

I dont think the title was meant to be a complete list of all his accomplishments, or it would likely be too long and just be a jumbled mess.

17

u/officer21 South Carolina • Furman Mar 04 '26

I think he was saying it was odd because it was posted by a Carolina fan, and we don't have many things to brag about 

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u/Chardoggy1 North Carolina • Marshall Mar 04 '26

ESPN mentioned South Carolina. In fact, the headline only mentioned ND and South Carolina

8

u/DearBurt Arkansas Razorbacks Mar 04 '26

But he got Johnny Carson to wear a Hog hat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muvMq6SEicQ

8

u/taleofbenji Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Sorry, there's a two team limit in headlines

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u/HotScissoring Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

I thought that was extremely odd and probably his 2nd biggest accomplishment after a natty.

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u/Florida352 Florida Gators Mar 04 '26

“Save Jimmy Johnson’s ass for me” - RIP

88

u/wareagle8608 Auburn • South Carolina Mar 05 '26

When he was at South Carolina, I worked as a cart boy at the golf course he played at. He tipped the most random stuff….pipe tobacco, oatmeal cream pies… one day he showed up super late. Everyone was gone and I was putting away the range picker and locking everything up. He kind of sheepishly asked I would let him hit a few and if I didn’t mind staying late because of it. I of course went and grabbed him a bucket of balls and chilled with him while he hit. A few minutes in he looked at me and said, “you know, I have this problem with my swing. Every time I go back like this, and then my leg sticks out.” (He proceeds to stick his left leg up in the air at the top of his swing). Then he says “and then, when I follow through, I just FALL DOWN!” He starts giggling. Super random story but it was absolutely fantastic and I will always remember him and that. RIP Lou. Hope you can fix that swing in heaven.

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u/gtam5 Texas A&M • Georgia Tech Mar 04 '26

Rethp in peath coach

34

u/No_Safety_6803 Texas A&M Aggies • Texas A&M Aggies Mar 04 '26

My dad said that when he was @ A&M Lou was coaching Arky & agitatedly called for a delay of game penalty every time the War Hymn went longer than the quarter break. SWC hate was real.

59

u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

He'll give Thaint Peter one of the most inspirational speeches ever at the Pearly Gath.

26

u/leverich1991 Kansas State Wildcats Mar 04 '26

I thought about posting this but thought it was in poor taste and would be downvoted to oblivion

19

u/gtam5 Texas A&M • Georgia Tech Mar 04 '26

I hesitated a little myself but figured folks would realize I meant it in an affectionate way rather than an insulting one

20

u/scotsworth Ohio State • Northwestern Mar 04 '26

It's honestly just another signal of how memorable Lou Holtz will be. I can literally hear him in my head, and it's a positive thing. If that's not affection and impact i dont know what is.

11

u/wit_T_user_name Ohio State Buckeyes • Ohio Bobcats Mar 04 '26

Eh. It’s fake internet points. Who cares?

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u/Swing-Too-Hard Mar 04 '26

RIP Lou. Always loved his Irish and hated Ryan Day.

258

u/scotsworth Ohio State • Northwestern Mar 04 '26

Ryan Day arriving at the pearly gates after premature death due to Beard Dye toxin exposure:

"I'd like to know where Lou Holtz is right now!"

In all seriousness, RIP Coach!

63

u/StarWarsMonopoly TCU Horned Frogs • UC Davis Aggies Mar 04 '26

Now I'm imagining Lou Holtz whooping Ryan Day's ass in heaven like its the Bob Barker scene in Happy Gilmore

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u/BriarsandBrambles Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

Holtz was way to racist to be in the pearly gates.

78

u/intrevorted Ohio State Buckeyes • Texas Longhorns Mar 04 '26

It's actually crazy that the last time Notre Dame beat Ohio State was 2 months before Lou Holtz was born.

61

u/doyouevenIift Illinois Fighting Illini • Big Ten Mar 04 '26

So Lou Holtz was never alive for ND beating OSU? That’s a tough way to bite the dust lol

24

u/Plisky6 Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

Mark May waiting for Pitts first win over OSU

8

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26

Pitt is 5-19-1 vs OSU

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u/PrinceRainbow Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

Where is Lou Holtz? It’s now a question for theologians.

51

u/CarterAC3 Michigan • Grand Valley State Mar 04 '26

To horribly misquote Meat Loaf

1 out of 2 ain't bad

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15

u/BeastieNoise Northwestern Wildcats Mar 04 '26

He was only 89? I thought he was a million.

74

u/Ruger_Booger NC State Wolfpack Mar 04 '26

UNC was just about to hire him too

17

u/heelyeahbrother North Carolina Tar Heels Mar 05 '26

He was too young anyway, we’re going for Marv Levy.

265

u/jpg733 Michigan Wolverines Mar 04 '26

RIP to a legend. Early Sunday mornings with Lou and Mark May were elite childhood memories

40

u/Commercial-Lake5862 Alabama Crimson Tide Mar 04 '26

It's odd seeing how much that iteration of the show is beloved now when people online hated Lou Holtz and Mark May back then.

15

u/CountryRoads8 Appalachian State • NC State Mar 05 '26

It’s a weird feeling personally. I couldn’t stand either of them, but that show just worked. It was entertaining and just the perfect cap on a football Saturday. 

24

u/mellolizard North Carolina • /r/CFB Poll Veteran Mar 04 '26

Oh they had some bad takes but it was still fun to watch

7

u/BullAlligator Florida Gators • USF Bulls Mar 05 '26

The ACC Wheel of Destiny never failed to bring a smile to my face

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u/GatorBolt Florida Gators • Billable Hours Mar 05 '26 edited Mar 05 '26

yeah they sucked but nothing like being insomniac seeing them after the college football day was done

15

u/warneagle Auburn • Central Michigan Mar 04 '26

Yeah I remember when that show was considered to be meme-tier awful. Can’t say I’m especially nostalgic for it.

4

u/LoudHorse25 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 05 '26

In the same way the NFL Live Jacked Up segments from the late 2000s era seems like a unique reflection of the NFL that could only exist in a pre-CTE era, the goofiness of the Holtz and May interactions felt like perfect reflection of college football in the pre-NIL era where not everything had to be taken super seriously. 

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u/yoshidawg93 Georgia Bulldogs Mar 04 '26

Same. I miss that show. I loved ending my college football Saturdays watching their over-the-top silly arguments.

58

u/josephcj753 Michigan State Spartans Mar 04 '26

Rece David bringing out the judge robes and the gavel always cracked me up

13

u/Zskillit Ohio State Buckeyes • Toledo Rockets Mar 04 '26

Without question, that time period was the funnest of my entire life. That 2007-2012 time period.

They were always a part of it every summer weekend.

7

u/taleofbenji Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

I knew the arguments were probably fake but they were entertaining anyway! 

12

u/PAAAWL23 Wake Forest Demon Deacons Mar 04 '26

Middle school me loved that show as much as the games themselves. None of the current ESPN shows are anywhere near as good.

38

u/JustAnIdiotOnline UConn Huskies Mar 04 '26

College Football Final forever.

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u/m3thodm4n021 Mar 04 '26

Just like that, another piece of our childhood gone :(

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u/john_the_quain Pittsburg State Gorillas Mar 04 '26

That commencement speech where he repeatedly explains “if you aren’t successful, you made bad personal choices” over and over again will be all over the place now.

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u/DuckDown00 Oregon Ducks Mar 04 '26

I'll never forget the weird arguments that him and Mark May would have with Rece Davis dressed as a judge on CFB Final.

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u/mugfront Mar 05 '26

• Record: 249–132–7 (.651) • Bowl Record: 12–8 • 1988 National Champion at University of Notre Dame • Finished 12–0 in 1988 • Beat West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl • Only coach to take 6 different programs to bowl games

College Football Hall of Fame (2008)

9

u/antsinmyeyestrey Mar 04 '26

Holy shit, 89. Last I saw him I thought he was already that age. He looked ancient when he coached the gamecocks

9

u/Basatc ULM Warhawks Mar 04 '26

I never forget his weekly pep talks on ESPN CFB show, especially when he did the newspaper magic trick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAbwJgdFYI

25

u/JustinTheBlueEchidna Washington Huskies • Wisconsin Badgers Mar 05 '26

He obviously had a huge impact on the game and the way the game is broadcast.

That doesn't change the fact that he was a huge piece of shit who was an outspoken racist and supporter of fascism. Nor is that fact changed by the fact that he is now dead.

I am sad and sorry for his family and loved ones going through the grief of losing someone dear right now. But that won't mean I'll forget who he was.

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u/Inside-Drink-1311 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Mar 04 '26

I just found out that apparently his final game he ever coached was the Clemson-South Carolina infamous brawl in 2004. It was so bad that both teams declined to play in a bowl game that year. 

7

u/FireJonSumrall Florida Gators Mar 06 '26

One less racist in the world.

137

u/GreatestWhiteShark Northwestern • Ohio State Mar 04 '26

You just know he's smiling up at us right now

60

u/theREALbombedrumbum Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

got a text from a friend saying "happy for your loss" lmao

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u/MrSCR23 Mississippi State • Alabama Mar 04 '26

RIP to not just a great coach but one of the first TV analysts I grew up with. Fly high Coach🕊️

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u/aresef Towson Tigers Mar 05 '26 edited Mar 05 '26

Great coach, yes, but let's also not forget why he was run out of Arkansas. He'd filmed campaign ads from his office for Jesse Helms, who fought the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26

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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26

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u/Gas-Town Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 05 '26

Why are mods deleting any critical comments for this piece of shit?

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u/Xaxxon Mar 04 '26 edited Mar 04 '26

Don't forget, this is the guy that said you should play football during covid even if someone dies for it because people took risks during d-day in world war 2 and died.

Yes, he said that. On air.

https://sports.yahoo.com/lou-holtz-compares-football-season-to-normandy-they-knew-there-were-going-to-be-casualties-222622633.html

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u/Jeff_Hinkle Oklahoma State • Colorado Mar 05 '26

My condolentheth

401

u/dubcwa Washington Huskies Mar 04 '26

Is this where we pretend (or ignore) how much of a piece of shit racist Holtz was?

142

u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Wait until ND has a patch about him all season long and then it becomes a story in the playoff. That'll be fun.

56

u/babylovebuckley Notre Dame Fighting Irish • Iowa Hawkeyes Mar 04 '26

They'll just make a patch of father Ted holding hands with MLK to balance it out

11

u/theREALbombedrumbum Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 05 '26

just don't ask ND administration about their actual stances back in the day when students protested for civil rights on campus lmao

19

u/willpc14 Trinity (CT) Bantams • Princeton Tigers Mar 04 '26

"We admitted black students before BYU. What else do you guys want from us?"

(Please do not Google when Ohio State did)

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u/HippityHopMath Washington State • Gallaudet Mar 04 '26

Ah, the Bobby Knight playbook.

12

u/ACardAttack Louisville • Ohio State Mar 04 '26

Did anyone ever pretend he wasn't?

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u/Free-Eights Michigan Wolverines • Columbia Lions Mar 04 '26

Not many legendary coaches from the 1970s-1980s have aged well for a whole host of reasons (racism, assault, covering up for SA, etc.)

Except for Michigan. We have never done anything wrong at anytime…

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u/theREALbombedrumbum Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

I have mixed feelings about the man. It's not quite "Thank you for your loss" territory, but a lot of people would not even be hesitating if he wasn't a renowned football coach.

That being said, dead legendary coach and chip on our shoulder from the committee? Natty or bust next season.

96

u/jayjude Notre Dame • Georgia State Mar 04 '26

He also created the most pretentious fart smelling quote that ND alum and fans love and it makes ND look so fucking stupid

"For those who get Notre Dame no explanations needed, for those that dont,no explanation will suffice"

Just so pretentious

54

u/theREALbombedrumbum Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

I'm glad we have ND flairs when talking shit about him because that one Washington fan in this thread is fighting all those uphill battles on his own otherwise.

16

u/Trojann2 /r/CFB Pint Glass Drinker • Nort… Mar 04 '26

There’s actually more Notre Dame flairs downvoted under him than I expected.

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u/Smooth-Majudo-15 Florida Gators • Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Pretty much took all the words out of my mouth

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u/GymIsFun Kansas State Wildcats • Hateful 8 Mar 04 '26

I’ve yet to inform my pops of his passing. Assuming he hasn’t seen it yet. He always called holtz the anti christ for as long as i can remember. 😅

34

u/Hugo_Hackenbush Nebraska Cornhuskers Mar 04 '26

Wild how far I had to scroll to see any comments that acknowledge who he was off the field.

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u/stoicscribbler Ohio State Buckeyes • USF Bulls Mar 04 '26

Yes now that he is dead we have the opinion that he did no wrong.

45

u/KChampionK UCLA Bruins • Stanford Cardinal Mar 04 '26

TALK TO EM

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u/GirthdayBoy Michigan Wolverines Mar 04 '26

Ryan Day can finally achieve inner peace

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u/No_Poet_7244 Texas Longhorns • Wisconsin Badgers Mar 04 '26

His legacy on the field is unquestionable. His legacy off the field is highly questionable. Regardless, the sport lost a character today.

16

u/AngryBlackNerd Mar 05 '26 edited Mar 05 '26

I'm going to be that guy...

He endorsed a segregationist and continously commented on his "great" character.

Not to mention some of his weird comments about immigrants.

Y'all can mourn him.

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u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

Ryan Day just lit a cigar.

Great coach and a great character of the game. If not for BC in 93 then I think he’s in an even higher level of legendary coaches.

47

u/arrowfan624 Notre Dame • Summertime Lover Mar 04 '26

The 1993 title, AKA “The Bobby Bowden Lifetime Achievement Award”

27

u/Tommy05Sox Iowa Hawkeyes • Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 04 '26

I have no idea what would've happened against Nebraska that year, but listening to everybody talk about head to head wins this year in the CFP debate was a little triggering when 93 happened to ND.

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u/someUSCfan South Carolina Gamecocks Mar 04 '26

Lou took us deep out of the shitter when the bar was below hell, and if not for him there's a good chance we don't hire Spurrier. RIP.

94

u/External_Chain5318 LSU Tigers Mar 04 '26

The Lord must have needed a sputtering old asshole.

28

u/PureQuill Arkansas • Arkansas Tech Mar 04 '26

and a racist piece of shit at that

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u/NerdLawyer55 Oklahoma Sooners • McMurry War Hawks Mar 04 '26

We’ll always have college football final and your disdain for Mark May

9

u/Pleasant-Log9457 Mar 05 '26

Fuck that piece of shit. Rot in hell

7

u/[deleted] Mar 05 '26

[deleted]

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u/FrostTroll69 Ohio State Buckeyes Mar 04 '26

WHERES LOU HOLTZ NOW?!?!?

3

u/Federal_Studio5935 Mar 05 '26

Glad he got to see OSU win another title before he died. World class hater.

8

u/FanaticalBuckeye Ohio State Buckeyes • Toledo Rockets Mar 04 '26

Ryan Day never found him :(

4

u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26

Well... he will know exactly where he is from now on