Lou Holtz, national championship-winning Notre Dame football coach, dies at 89

Lou Holtz, the former Notre Dame football head coach who led the team to a national title in 1988, has died, the school and his family announced Wednesday. He was 89. 

Holtz died in Orlando surrounded by family, the family said.

"Holtz is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, and an unwavering belief in the potential of others," his family said in a statement. "His influence extended far beyond the football field through the Holtz Charitable Foundation and the many players, colleagues, and communities shaped by his leadership."

Holtz coached Notre Dame from 1986 to 1996, winning 100 games with the school, including a 23-game win streak and the school's first back-to-back 12-win seasons, Notre Dame said. The Fighting Irish finished the '88 season 12-0, capping it off with a win in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl and becoming the consensus national champion.

Holtz also had head coaching stints at William & Mary, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Carolina, along with one season helming the New York Jets in the NFL.

He won 249 games total in his college coaching career across 33 seasons.

Following his coaching career, Holtz became a broadcaster, working as a college football analyst for CBS Sports and ESPN.

Holtz, a longtime Republican, spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention to endorse President Trump. Mr. Trump awarded Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor, in December 2020.