November 20th will go down as a landmark moment for college football. Lou Holtz, once Notre Dame’s sideline mastermind and later the face of CBS and ESPN, stepped up for his final speech on Thursday, November 20. The coaching legend who spent a lifetime molding champions left fans misty-eyed with his latest heartfelt tweet.

After taking the stage one last time, Holtz took to X to share his thoughts. “Today I delivered my final public speech after decades of coaching and speaking,” he wrote. “I’ve always believed I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth simply because I was born in this great country. That’s why my commitment to the American Dream has never wavered and never will. We must protect what makes America exceptional.”

Holtz earned his reputation by taking a faltering Notre Dame and molding it into a college football force. Twenty-six seasons as a collegiate head coach, he remains the lone coach to lead six schools to bowl games and four to end the season in the top 20. Holtz launched his career at Iowa in 1960, then turned a string of assistant roles into head coaching jobs at NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. His résumé boasts a 249-132-7 college mark and a 3-10 NFL record with the New York Jets.

It took Holtz just two seasons to steer the Fighting Irish back into a major bowl, their first in seven years. From there, Notre Dame became a January fixture, making nine straight traditional postseason bowls before his 1996 retirement, highlighted by the 1988 national title run. He won hearts even beyond the field, too.

Holtz’s mix of wit and humility made him a crowd favorite. He guided the audience to identify their strengths, unite as a team, and embrace the values that elevate any organization. Holtz later brought that same charm and insight to ESPN, holding the college football analyst chair from 2004 to 2015. His popularity grew, and Holtz was invited to speak at universities and other events, beyond the world of sports. 

He headlined the Oklahoma Baptist University Green & Gold Gala in March 2016, dropping gems on faith, leadership, and grinding through adversity. In the same year, he took center stage at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference. The 2025 CFB season has also been special. Notre Dame squared off with Arkansas for the first time ever on September 27. So, Holtz was impossible to miss the event as he is the one who once commanded both sidelines. He led the Hogs from 1977 to 1983 and the Irish from 1986 to 1996.

“When I went to the University of Notre Dame, it was very similar to Arkansas except we were a national school and wherever you went you represented Notre Dame,” Holtz said. “Wherever you went in this state, you represented the University of Arkansas. So, being able to handle that, I feel a lot of success we had at Notre Dame can definitely be attributed to the seven years I spent here at Arkansas.” That Arkansas–Notre Dame reunion was special for Holtz, but 2025 had a rough start for the icon.

2025 greeted Lou Holtz with an injury 

Back in January, the college football fans were excited about the Natty title clash between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Notre Dame. Ahead of the marquee matchup, Holtz went live on YouTube, sharing his health update. “I was in a car accident, hurt my leg quite extensively,” Holtz said on January 9. Meanwhile, he correctly predicted the winners of the College Football Playoffs semifinal games, including Ohio State’s 14-point win over Texas.

To lift his spirits up after the accident, Rece Davis went to celebrate Holtz’s 88th birthday. “Awesome night celebrating the legend Lou Holtz 88th birthday! Thanks to Holtz Heroes and all the legendary players for coming to see coach!” Davis wrote on Instagram. 

Meanwhile, the former Notre Dame head coach, Lou Holtz, kept things fiery with Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes. “Ohio State has the talent, but Notre Dame has the heart, the culture, and the defense to win this game,” he wrote on social media. “Stay patient, run the football, and trust the process. Notre Dame wins a close one — by 3. Remember, we’re Notre Dame and they ain’t!” Age hasn’t dulled a thing. Holtz, at 88, still goes to root for every team he’s touched.