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where did lou holtz coach

Lou Holtz coached at multiple colleges and one NFL team, most famously Notre Dame, where he won the 1988 national championship as head coach.

Quick Scoop: Where Did Lou Holtz Coach?

Here are the main teams where Lou Holtz served as head coach in his career.

College teams

  • William & Mary (1969–1971), his first college head‑coaching job.
  • NC State (1972–1975), where he won conference titles and multiple bowl games.
  • Arkansas (1977–1983), leading the Razorbacks to several bowl appearances and a strong overall record.
  • Minnesota (1984–1985), a short rebuilding stint in the Big Ten.
  • Notre Dame (1986–1996), his signature run, including the 1988 undefeated season and national title.
  • South Carolina (1999–2004), where he engineered a turnaround that included back‑to‑back Outback Bowl wins.

NFL

  • New York Jets (head coach, 1976), his lone NFL head‑coaching job before returning to the college ranks.

At‑a‑glance table

[5][3] [3] [5][3] [1][3] [3] [7][1][3] [4][3]
Level Team Role Years
College William & Mary Head coach 1969–1971
College NC State Head coach 1972–1975
NFL New York Jets Head coach 1976
College Arkansas Head coach 1977–1983
College Minnesota Head coach 1984–1985
College Notre Dame Head coach 1986–1996
College South Carolina Head coach 1999–2004

Quick forum‑style note

In fan discussions today, when people ask “where did Lou Holtz coach,” they’re almost always thinking of Notre Dame, but his path ran through William & Mary, NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, South Carolina, and even the New York Jets before and after that legendary 1988 title season.

TL;DR: Lou Holtz was head coach at William & Mary, NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, South Carolina, and the New York Jets (NFL), with Notre Dame as his hallmark stop.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.