Before the Catholics vs. Convicts game in 1988, former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz gave a speech to his Irish players, reminding them that if Miami wanted to fight post-game, they should save head coach “Jimmy Johnson’s a– for me.” The Irish defeated the Canes and went on to win the national title. His charismatic leadership took Notre Dame to unprecedented heights. Almost four decades later, that iconic voice has fallen silent, and the university has now released the details of its beloved Lou Holtz’s funeral.

Visitation will be held at the Basilica at Notre Dame on March 15, followed by his Mass of Christian Burial at the same location on March 16. The university will live-stream the Mass, and the burial will take place at Cedar Grove Cemetery on campus.

Lou Holtz’s legacy at Notre Dame stands tall as a transformational figure who restored the program to national prominence. He led the Irish to nine consecutive January bowl games, and in 1989, the Fighting Irish became the first team to achieve back-to-back 12-win seasons. Holtz was the Irish head coach from 1986 to 1996, and the program became a legit powerhouse under him. But more than that, the Fighting Irish found a national identity.

“Those who know Notre Dame, no explanation’s necessary. Those who don’t, no explanation will suffice,” Holtz famously said. The Orlando, Florida, native who died at 89 didn’t call himself a “miracle worker” but created a new generation of fans who still fill the stands at South Bend. In truth, Holtz’s 11 years as Notre Dame’s head coach are remembered not for his 100 wins or his 22-15-1 record against top-10 opponents, but for the groundwork he laid.

Coach Holtz’s inspiring quotes from the plethora of books he wrote can probably fill several other books. His coaching tree extended to names like Urban Meyer, Joe Moore, Charlie Strong, and Rick Minter. For Minter, Holtz had a unique idiosyncrasy in how he did things, and that always stuck with his players and coaches. But not just former coaches—Holtz helped current coaches, too, whenever they leaned on him.

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Lou Holtz had an immense influence on Marcus Freeman

Marcus Freeman joined Notre Dame in 2021 as their defensive coordinator. Then Brian Kelly’s abrupt departure from South Bend suddenly thrust him into the head coaching spotlight. At the time, Holtz dialed up Freeman and, from then on, helped him assemble his Notre Dame staff.

“I talked to Lou Holtz all the time. He says, “I’m going to give you my advice, but not my opinion,” Marcus Freeman said. The Irish legend whose bronze statue stands outside the southwest corner of the team’s stadium weighed every option.

“I think you think about his teams as a whole, his tenure as a whole at Notre Dame, and the impact he made on this university,” Coach Freeman said. “When I’m done coaching or when my time is up. I hope I can make an impact the way Coach Holtz did at Notre Dame, but also in college football. So his legacy will live on, and his impact will still be felt here in South Bend.”

Holtz’s voice remained influential long after he left the sidelines. Following his final coaching stint at South Carolina, he took on new roles as a sharp-witted ESPN analyst and even entered the political arena, speaking at the 2020 Republican National Convention on behalf of President Donald Trump. In 2020, Trump awarded Lou Holtz the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Holtz’s enduring legacy—built on his values, his extensive coaching tree, and the groundwork he laid—will echo through Notre Dame for generations to come.