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Coach Profile

Lou Holtz

1969-2004 • Arkansas, Minnesota, NC State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, William & Mary

6 schools coached, anchored by Notre Dame.

Lou Holtz coached 33 seasons, won 65.1%, and posted an average SRS of 11.0. Best season: 1988 Notre Dame. The profile was balanced with a highly volatile profile. 6 stints shaped the career arc.

Compare this coachAll coach recordsRanked opponent recordJump to seasons
Career record
249-132-7
Career win rate
65.1%
Average SRS
11.0
Peak SRS
27.5

Career Dossier

One glance at the full arc.

The profile below keeps the headline numbers visible, then moves into tenure shape, school impact, and full season detail.

Seasons coached
33
Career span
36 years
Best finish
#1
Consistency
3.7

Primary school anchor

Notre Dame

Balanced profile with 6 program stops and a peak score of 95.0.

Career Arc

Track how the coach's season-to-season performance changed over time, where the peak landed, and where each school stint appears.

Focus on where peaks separate, where floors hold, and how the shape of each career changed over time.

Lou Holtz
EliteStrongAverageLean
Lou Holtz: 1972 NC StateLou Holtz: 1977 ArkansasLou Holtz: 1984 MinnesotaLou Holtz: 1986 Notre DameLou Holtz: 1999 South Carolina
1969Actual season year • SRS range -23.9 to 27.52004

Active comparison point

Lou Holtz • 1988

Selected

1988 Notre Dame

Best season

12-0 • SRS 27.5 • SP Overall 32.9

Win %

100.0%

YoY SRS

+8.8

SP Off / Def

43.1 / 10.8

Finish

#1

Comparison context

Focus a point to inspect how it stacks up against the rest of the field.

Ranked opponent record

Track career record against ranked opponents with switchable poll source and ranking timing.

Using AP Top 25 rankings at the time of each game; week-one games use the week-one ranking release when available.

Poll source
Ranking timing

Top 25

45-67-5

Games
117
Win rate
40.6%

Top 10

24-45-2

Games
71
Win rate
35.2%

Top 5

9-24-1

Games
34
Win rate
27.9%
View ranked game results117
2004 Regular Week 10South CarolinaTennessee#11L29-43
2004 Regular Week 3South CarolinaGeorgia#3L16-20
2003 Regular Week 13South CarolinaFlorida#15L22-24
2003 Regular Week 11South CarolinaOle Miss#20L40-43
2003 Regular Week 9South CarolinaLSU#10L7-33
2003 Regular Week 6South CarolinaTennessee#8L20-23
2003 Regular Week 4South CarolinaGeorgia#8L7-31
2003 Regular Week 3South CarolinaVirginia#15W31-7
2002 Regular Week 13South CarolinaFlorida#20L7-28
2002 Regular Week 11South CarolinaTennessee#25L10-18
2002 Regular Week 9South CarolinaLSU#14L14-38
2002 Regular Week 4South CarolinaGeorgia#9L7-13
2001 Regular Week 12South CarolinaFlorida#4L17-54
2001 Regular Week 10South CarolinaTennessee#9L10-17
2001 Regular Week 3South CarolinaGeorgia#25W14-9
2001 Postseason Week 1South CarolinaOhio State#22W31-28
2000 Regular Week 13South CarolinaClemson#16L14-16
2000 Regular Week 12South CarolinaFlorida#5L21-41
2000 Regular Week 5South CarolinaMississippi State#25W23-19
2000 Regular Week 3South CarolinaGeorgia#9W21-10
1999 Regular Week 12South CarolinaFlorida#4L3-20
1999 Regular Week 10South CarolinaTennessee#4L7-30
1999 Regular Week 5South CarolinaMississippi State#23L0-17
1999 Regular Week 3South CarolinaGeorgia#12L9-24
1999 Regular Week 2South CarolinaNC State#24L0-10
1996 Regular Week 8Notre DameWashington#16W54-20
1996 Regular Week 6Notre DameOhio State#4L16-29
1996 Regular Week 5Notre DameTexas#6W27-24
1995 Regular Week 9Notre DameUSC#5W38-10
1995 Regular Week 7Notre DameWashington#15W29-21
1995 Regular Week 6Notre DameOhio State#7L26-45
1995 Regular Week 5Notre DameTexas#13W55-27
1995 Postseason Week 1Notre DameFlorida State#4L26-31
1994 Regular Week 14Notre DameUSC#17T17-17
1994 Regular Week 12Notre DameFlorida State#8L16-23
1994 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#6L24-26
1994 Postseason Week 1Notre DameColorado#3L24-41
1993 Regular Week 13Notre DameBoston College#17L39-41
1993 Regular Week 12Notre DameFlorida State#1W31-24
1993 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#3W27-23
1993 Postseason Week 1Notre DameTexas A&M#9W24-21
1992 Regular Week 14Notre DameUSC#19W31-23
1992 Regular Week 12Notre DamePenn State#22W17-16
1992 Regular Week 11Notre DameBoston College#9W54-7
1992 Regular Week 6Notre DameStanford#18L16-33
1992 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#6T17-17
1992 Postseason Week 1Notre DameTexas A&M#7W28-3
1991 Regular Week 12Notre DamePenn State#8L13-35
1991 Regular Week 11Notre DameTennessee#13L34-35
1991 Regular Week 7Notre DamePittsburgh#12W42-7
1991 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#3L14-24
1991 Postseason Week 1Notre DameFlorida#7W39-28
1990 Regular Week 14Notre DameUSC#21W10-6
1990 Regular Week 13Notre DamePenn State#11L21-24
1990 Regular Week 12Notre DameTennessee#14W34-29
1990 Regular Week 9Notre DameMiami#8W29-20
1990 Regular Week 5Notre DameMichigan State#22W20-19
1990 Regular Week 4Notre DameMichigan#7W28-24
1990 Postseason Week 1Notre DameColorado#1L9-10
1989 Regular Week 13Notre DameMiami#7L10-27
1989 Regular Week 12Notre DamePenn State#17W34-23
1989 Regular Week 9Notre DamePittsburgh#7W45-7
1989 Regular Week 8Notre DameUSC#9W28-24
1989 Regular Week 7Notre DameAir Force#17W41-27
1989 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#2W24-19
1989 Postseason Week 1Notre DameColorado#4W21-6
1988 Regular Week 14Notre DameUSC#2W27-10
1988 Regular Week 8Notre DameMiami#1W31-30
1988 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#9W19-17
1988 Postseason Week 1Notre DameWest Virginia#5W34-21
1987 Regular Week 14Notre DameMiami#2L0-24
1987 Regular Week 12Notre DameAlabama#17W37-6
1987 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#19W26-7
1987 Postseason Week 1Notre DameTexas A&M#10L10-35
1986 Regular Week 13Notre DameLSU#5L19-21
1986 Regular Week 12Notre DamePenn State#2L19-24
1986 Regular Week 6Notre DameAlabama#2L10-28
1986 Regular Week 4Notre DameMichigan State#19L15-20
1986 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan#3L23-24
1985 Regular Week 13MinnesotaIowa#3L9-31
1985 Regular Week 12MinnesotaMichigan#8L7-48
1985 Regular Week 9MinnesotaOhio State#9L19-23
1985 Regular Week 5MinnesotaOklahoma#2L7-13
1984 Regular Week 6MinnesotaOhio State#2L22-35
1984 Regular Week 4MinnesotaNebraska#1L7-38
1983 Regular Week 13ArkansasSMU#6L0-17
1983 Regular Week 8ArkansasTexas#2L3-31
1982 Regular Week 14ArkansasTexas#12L7-33
1982 Regular Week 12ArkansasSMU#2T17-17
1981 Regular Week 12ArkansasSMU#6L18-32
1981 Regular Week 7ArkansasTexas#1W42-11
1981 Postseason Week 1ArkansasNorth Carolina#9L27-31
1980 Regular Week 13ArkansasSMU#20L7-31
1980 Regular Week 11ArkansasBaylor#12L15-42
1980 Regular Week 1ArkansasTexas#10L17-23
1979 Regular Week 11ArkansasBaylor#20W29-20
1979 Regular Week 9ArkansasHouston#4L10-13
1979 Regular Week 8ArkansasTexas#9W17-14
1979 Postseason Week 1ArkansasAlabama#1L9-24
1978 Regular Week 9ArkansasHouston#10L9-20
1978 Regular Week 8ArkansasTexas#7L21-28
1978 Postseason Week 1ArkansasUCLA#14T10-10
1977 Regular Week 11ArkansasTexas A&M#14W26-20
1977 Regular Week 7ArkansasTexas#2L9-13
1977 Postseason Week 1ArkansasOklahoma#7W31-6
1975 Regular Week 10NC StatePenn State#8W15-14
1975 Regular Week 3NC StateFlorida#13W8-7
1975 Postseason Week 1NC StateWest Virginia#20L10-13
1974 Regular Week 10NC StatePenn State#7W12-7
1974 Regular Week 8NC StateMaryland#15L10-20
1974 Postseason Week 1NC StateHouston#19T31-31
1973 Regular Week 11NC StatePenn State#6L29-35
1973 Regular Week 4NC StateNebraska#2L14-31
1973 Postseason Week 1NC StateKansas#18W31-18
1972 Regular Week 10NC StatePenn State#10L22-37
1970 Regular Week 3William & MaryWest Virginia#16L7-43
1970 Postseason Week 1William & MaryToledo#12L12-40

Tenure map

Each stint expands by seasons coached. Deeper color signals a stronger average SRS over that stretch.

Length = seasons coachedDeeper color = stronger stint

South Carolina

1999-2004 • 6 seasons

Avg SRS 4.1 • Win % 47.1%

Notre Dame

1986-1996 • 11 seasons

Avg SRS 20.5 • Win % 76.5%

Minnesota

1984-1985 • 2 seasons

Avg SRS -0.1 • Win % 45.5%

Arkansas

1977-1983 • 7 seasons

Avg SRS 15.3 • Win % 73.5%

NC State

1972-1975 • 4 seasons

Avg SRS 13.4 • Win % 71.9%

William & Mary

1969-1971 • 3 seasons

Avg SRS -16.1 • Win % 39.4%

Longest tenure
Notre Dame • 11 seasons
Best tenure
Notre Dame • 20.5 SRS
Best tenure win rate
Notre Dame • 76.5%

Style and Strength Profile

Compare strength, identity, steadiness, and ceiling through normalized bars with raw SP and SRS context underneath.

These bars are normalized against the full coach dataset. Raw SP and SRS values stay visible so the profile reads as evidence, not decoration.

Overall Strength

Start with total quality before splitting style and variance.

Lou Holtz sets the reference point in overall strength.

Overall Strength

Decisive edge

Lou Holtz sets the reference point in overall strength.

Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.

Lou Holtz

Elite

Raw avg SP Overall
14.8
Percentile
94th pct

Elite

Normalized against the full tracked coach pool.

Impact by school

See how each stint compared with what that program usually looked like outside that same span.

South Carolina

1999-2004 • 33-37

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 4.1Win % 47.1%

Avg wins

Higher is better

5.5 during vs 4.6 baseline

+0.9

Avg SRS

Higher is better

4.1 during vs 1.7 baseline

+2.4

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

6.2 during vs 3.2 baseline

+3.0

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

33.3% during vs 0.0% baseline

+33.3%

Notre Dame

1986-1996 • 100-30-2

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 20.5Win % 76.5%

Avg wins

Higher is better

9.1 during vs 6.0 baseline

+3.1

Avg SRS

Higher is better

20.5 during vs 12.2 baseline

+8.2

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

25.2 during vs 14.8 baseline

+10.4

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

81.8% during vs 0.0% baseline

+81.8%

Minnesota

1984-1985 • 10-12

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS -0.1Win % 45.5%

Avg wins

Higher is better

5.0 during vs 3.8 baseline

+1.2

Avg SRS

Higher is better

-0.1 during vs -2.9 baseline

+2.8

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

-0.7 during vs -6.1 baseline

+5.4

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline

+0.0%

Arkansas

1977-1983 • 60-21-2

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 15.3Win % 73.5%

Avg wins

Higher is better

8.6 during vs 6.4 baseline

+2.2

Avg SRS

Higher is better

15.3 during vs 11.5 baseline

+3.8

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

16.1 during vs 13.1 baseline

+3.0

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

57.1% during vs 20.0% baseline

+37.1%

NC State

1972-1975 • 33-12-3

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 13.4Win % 71.9%

Avg wins

Higher is better

8.3 during vs 4.8 baseline

+3.5

Avg SRS

Higher is better

13.4 during vs 0.7 baseline

+12.7

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

16.5 during vs -13.8 baseline

+30.4

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

75.0% during vs 0.0% baseline

+75.0%

William & Mary

1969-1971 • 13-20

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS -16.1Win % 39.4%

Avg wins

Higher is better

4.3 during vs 4.6 baseline

-0.3

Avg SRS

Higher is better

-16.1 during vs -9.4 baseline

-6.7

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

-9.4 during vs — baseline

—

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline

+0.0%

Career highs and lows

High Points

Best Season

Notre Dame 1988

12-0 • SRS 27.5

Biggest Improvement

William & Mary 1971

5-6 • 22.6 SRS

Best Offensive Season

Notre Dame 1991

10-3 • SP Off 45.9

Best Defensive Season

Arkansas 1979

10-2 • SP Def 9.0

Setbacks

Worst Season

William & Mary 1970

5-7 • SRS -23.9

Biggest Drop

South Carolina 1999

0-11 • -29.9 SRS

Season-by-season results

Full transparency into every season in the coaching record. Positive YoY values indicate improvement from the prior season.

South Carolina20041165054.5%——4.56.428.723.4+1.0+12.9%
South Carolina20031257041.7%——3.59.233.325.8+2.90.0%
South Carolina20021257041.7%#22—0.60.424.724.5-12.4-33.3%
South Carolina20011293075.0%#21#1313.017.534.718.7+1.4+8.3%
South Carolina20001284066.7%—#1911.616.630.515.2+20.3+66.7%
South Carolina19991101100.0%——-8.7-13.013.525.5-29.9-72.7%
Notre Dame19961183072.7%#6#1921.223.542.521.6-0.3-2.3%
Notre Dame19951293075.0%#9#1121.525.543.519.9+8.6+20.8%
Notre Dame19941265154.2%#2—12.916.138.824.8-9.4-37.5%
Notre Dame199312111091.7%#7#222.328.144.618.9-2.1+4.2%
Notre Dame199212101187.5%#3#424.427.943.517.8+4.2+10.6%
Notre Dame199113103076.9%#6#1320.226.045.923.3+3.1+1.9%
Notre Dame19901293075.0%#2#617.123.741.719.8-8.2-17.3%
Notre Dame198913121092.3%#2#225.331.143.112.5-2.2-7.7%
Notre Dame1988121200100.0%#13#127.532.943.110.8+8.8+33.3%
Notre Dame19871284066.7%#18#1718.724.039.316.5+4.5+21.2%
Notre Dame19861156045.5%——14.218.336.720.0+7.4-9.1%
Minnesota19851165054.5%——6.811.430.119.5+13.7+18.2%
Minnesota19841147036.4%——-6.9-12.822.933.9-8.2-18.2%
Arkansas19831165054.5%——1.33.721.918.8-12.3-24.6%
Arkansas19821292179.2%#13#913.617.029.814.0-1.3+12.5%
Arkansas19811284066.7%——14.914.534.220.6+7.3+8.3%
Arkansas19801275058.3%#6—7.67.929.222.4-13.3-25.0%
Arkansas197912102083.3%#20#820.923.732.19.0-2.5+4.2%
Arkansas19781292179.2%#2#1123.422.234.613.2-2.3-12.5%
Arkansas197712111091.7%—#325.724.035.912.4+18.6+29.2%
NC State19751274162.5%#13—7.110.328.518.9-4.5-16.7%
NC State19741292179.2%#18#1111.615.235.221.5-7.4+4.2%
NC State19731293075.0%#17#1619.021.642.123.1+2.9+4.2%
NC State19721283170.8%—#1716.118.940.725.0+17.4+25.4%
William & Mary19711156045.5%——-1.30.829.229.0+22.6+3.8%
William & Mary19701257041.7%——-23.9-19.717.835.9-0.8+11.7%
William & Mary19691037030.0%——-23.1—————

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