Tributes pour in for Lou Holtz immediately after coach’s death at 89

Lou Holtz’s death Wednesday at 89, while not a surprise, immediately sent ripples through the sports world.

More than a coach, Holtz touched a new generation of fans after his final game on the sidelines as an analyst for ESPN from 2005-15.

MORE:Notre Dame announces sad news regarding Lou Holtz

Holtz coached the New York Jets to a 3-10 record in 1976, resigning with one game left in the season. Otherwise he worked continuously as a head coach in the college ranks from 1969-2004.

“This story is now more than 25 years old and I have told it more times than I can count, but it hits very differently today,” ESPN’s Mike Greenberg wrote on his X account Wednesday. “I was anchoring SportsCenter one afternoon and Lou Holtz was on the show. I was quite excited to talk with him, he had been an icon all of my life. He was very friendly, asking me all about myself as we walked toward the studio to record an interview.

“I told him: ‘Actually, Coach, it’s quite exciting, my wife and I are expecting our first child in the next few weeks.’ He stopped dead in his tracks and put a finger up near my face. And I’ll never forget what he said. ‘Young man, the most important thing you can do for a child is make sure every day they know how much you love their mother.’

“And, just like that, he started walking again. Our daughter was born a month later, our son came two years after that. And I have thought about what Lou HOLTZ said to me that day about a million times since. RIP Coach, thanks for the best advice anyone ever gave me.”

“The late great Lou Holtz was always a straight shooter with me,” CBS Sports Network analyst Tom Lemming wrote on his X account Wednesday. “Met him back in the early 80s when he was HC at Minnesota and I always appreciated his candor and honesty. I could always count on him when I needed his advice, even when he is making fun of me as in the clip below.”

“The thing I was always envied about the Lou Holtz teams was how much they loved and respected one another,” wrote Christine Golic, the wife of former Notre Dame defensive tackle and Mike&Mike host Mike Golic. “A rare relationship to have with a head coach. I see it now again at Notre Dame with the Marcus Freeman teams. Love Trust Commitment.”

“Coach Lou Holtz was a legend on and off the field, who cared deeply for the state of Indiana and lived a remarkable life grounded in faith, family, and giving back,” Indiana governor Mike Braun wrote on his X account. “He will be greatly missed.”

“I loved this man,” Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean wrote on her X account Wednesday. “Thank you for the kindness, the smiles and hugs, Lou Holtz. You were pure sunshine. Rest in peace, my friend.”

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