I was fortunate enough to spend a little unexpected time with Lou Holtz in, of all places, Athens, Georgia, during the weekend of the Georgia vs. Notre Dame football game in 2019.
After lunch, I was walking back to the Notre Dame hotel with Dick Corbett—yes, the same Dick Corbett whose name now graces Corbett Family Hall and who endowed Marcus Freeman’s position—when we happened to run into Coach Holtz on the sidewalk.
He was by himself, trying to figure out how to get back to the hotel, so he joined us for the walk.
When we arrived, he asked if I would stay with him outside for a few minutes. He wanted to smoke his pipe, and I suspect he also appreciated a little cover from the many people who would inevitably want to stop and introduce themselves.
What followed was a wonderful hour-long conversation about his years at Notre Dame and why the place meant so much to him. You could hear it in his voice. Notre Dame was never just a job for Lou Holtz—it was something much deeper. It was a calling, a family, and a chapter of his life that remained close to his heart long after the final whistle.
A little more than thirteen months later, Lou was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump. A few days after the ceremony, I received a package from one of Lou’s closest friends, Skip Strzelecki, who had accompanied him to the White House. Inside were several items connected to that historic day.
They’ve been displayed in my home ever since -- see photo above.
Every time I see them, I think back to that quiet moment outside a hotel in Athens—Lou Holtz with his pipe, telling stories about Notre Dame with the same passion and gratitude that defined his life.
College football will remember him as a Hall of Fame coach and a national champion. Those who knew him remember something even greater: a man of deep faith, humility, and conviction who believed in discipline, character, and doing things the right way.
And like the players he inspired and the countless lives he touched, his legacy will endure long after the final game has been played.
Rest in peace, Coach. Your life was well lived, and your example will continue to guide generations to come.
