Skip Holtz
Encyclopedia
Louis Leo "Skip" Holtz, Jr. (born March 12, 1964) is the head coach
of the University of South Florida
football team. For the previous five years, he served as the head coach of the East Carolina University
football team. Skip, a former American football
player, was the head coach of the Connecticut
Huskies football
team between 1994 and 1998 and an assistant head coach for the University of South Carolina
Gamecocks
between 1998 and 2004.
Skip's father, Lou Holtz
, is an acclaimed former head football coach and currently works as a commentator on the television channel ESPN
. Due to his father's career as a collegiate football coach, Skip was exposed to football from an early age. At the time of Skip's birth, Lou was a football assistant for the Connecticut Huskies
. Skip attended Fayetteville High School in Arkansas, and played on the school's football team as the team's quarterback
. At the same time, his father was the head coach at the University of Arkansas
. After graduating from Fayetteville High School, Skip attended Holy Cross College
for two years. He then transferred to Notre Dame
, where he earned a bachelor's degree
in business management. While at Notre Dame, he lettered in football as a special teams member and backup wide receiver
.
for two years, as his father worked as an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina. In 1968, the family moved to Columbus, Ohio
after Holtz took a job at Ohio State University
. One year later, the Holtz family moved to Williamsburg, Virginia
and The College of William & Mary for Lou's first head coaching position. After two seasons, Lou took a head coaching position with the Wolfpack
of North Carolina State University
. The family lived in Raleigh, North Carolina
for four years until Lou accepted a head coaching job for the National Football League
's New York Jets
. The family spent one year in New York
while Lou coached the Jets. After resigning from the Jets, Lou took his family back to the American South when he accepted the head coaching job in Fayetteville, Arkansas
, at the University of Arkansas in 1977. In Fayetteville, Skip attended Fayetteville High School and graduated in 1983.
and head basketball coach Digger Phelps
. In his final year of high school, Skip was denied admission to Notre Dame due to average grades and his failure to learn a foreign language. Coaches Faust and Phelps encouraged Skip to enroll at nearby Holy Cross College
, located adjacent to the university in Notre Dame
, Indiana
. After two years of study at Holy Cross, Skip had improved his grades and transferred to Notre Dame. After his first year, Skip decided he wanted to speak with Coach Faust about walking on to the football team during his senior year. The discussions were cut short, however, as after the 1985 season, Coach Faust resigned. Replacing Faust was Skip's father, Lou, who eagerly accepted his son as a walk-on. Skip began spring practice before the 1986 season
as a quarterback, but quickly changed to flanker
due to his lack of throwing ability. As a flanker, he earned 54 yards on three reception
s at the Blue-Gold intra-squad game in the spring of 1986. During the fall of 1986, Skip played in all 11 games on special teams. He never caught a pass, but rushed
once for one yard.
Due to Skip's lack of success on the field and his desire to remain associated with football, he began to investigate the possibility of becoming a coach. After Skip told Lou he wanted to start coaching, Lou put together a list of potential coaches who would give him the best training. The list included Tom Osborne, Joe Paterno
, and Terry Donahue
, but upon hearing of Skip's interest, Florida State
head coach Bobby Bowden
said, "if you can be here in two days, I've got a job for you at Florida State."
Upon arriving at Florida State in 1987, he became the graduate assistant coach. He met his future wife, Jennifer, in Coach Bowden's office while in Tallahassee
. He left after two years to become the wide receivers coach at Colorado State University under legendary coach Earle Bruce
. After one season, he went back to Notre Dame
to coach under his father.
was to serve as wide receivers coach, and he filled the position for two years. In 1992, the team began a search for a new offensive coordinator
. Lou's first choice, Joe Moore, declined. Lou then asked Skip for recommendations to fill the position. Skip initially said he wanted the position but said of Lou, "he couldn't do it at that time with me [Skip] being his son." Skip then mentioned Mark Richt
, who was then the offensive coordinator at Florida State. Lou Holtz called Coach Bowden to ask permission to speak to Mark Richt. Coach Bowden said Holtz could hire Richt as long as he could hire Skip. Coach Holtz said, "Well, if I'm just going to switch coaches, I might as well hire Skip." Skip became Notre Dame's offensive coordinator in 1992. Between 1992 and 1994, Skip and his father recorded 40 wins, eight losses, and one tie, an 82.7% winning percentage. Together, they coached Notre Dame to the Cotton Bowl Classic twice, beating Texas A&M
both times. Skip had the third-best total offense
in the NCAA during the 1991 football season
.
. He accepted the offer and took his first head coaching job on December 23, 1993. He replaced Tom Jackson, who had gone 14–19 over the past three years and had decided to resign on November 17, 1993. He agreed to a four-year contract at a salary of $95,000 a year. Even though Skip came from a "major football institution" (Notre Dame), University of Connecticut President Dr. Harry J. Hartley said that the hire "should not be seen as a signal that Connecticut intends to upgrade its program." Despite Hartley's remarks, Holtz planned to help elevate the team from I-AA to I-A. Holtz commented on Hartley's remarks by saying "I'd love to have the opportunity to coach a Division I team here...." In 1998, UConn, after 100 years of football and five years with Skip Holtz as its head coach, played in its first Division I-AA playoff game. The Huskies scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to beat Hampton University, 42–34. In the next round of the playoffs, the Huskies lost to the eventual runner-up
, Georgia Southern
, on December 5. Two days later, Skip resigned as head coach of the Huskies in order to rejoin his father, who had taken the head coaching job at South Carolina the day before the Huskies' loss. As the leader of the Huskies football team, he accumulated a winning percentage of .596 (34–23) over five seasons.
On December 4, 1998, The University of South Carolina announced that Lou Holtz would serve as its next head football coach. Lou asked Skip if he would move down to Columbia to become his offensive coordinator—the same position Skip held during his final two years at Notre Dame. Skip accepted the offer, in part due to a desire to live closer to his parents and so his children could spend more time with their grandparents. In 1996, Skip's mother, Beth, was diagnosed with throat cancer
. Two years later, the cancer spread to her liver
, lung
, adrenal glands, and ovary
. Meanwhile, Skip and Lou continued to coach football at South Carolina. As Lou began to struggle as head coach, the question of his eventual successor arose. When Skip was hired in 1998, Lou had included a clause in the hiring contract that Skip would succeed him after he retired. South Carolina Athletic Director rebutted by saying, "There are no formal or informal guarantees at him," and "It's always helpful to have potential succession in a staff."
The 2000 and 2001 seasons brought South Carolina back to national prominence with consecutive Outback Bowl wins over Ohio State and season ending rankings in the Top 25. However, after going 5–7 the following two seasons and suffering a season-ending blowout in 2003 by intrastate rival Clemson
, Skip was demoted from the offensive coordinator and assistant head coaching positions to quarterbacks coach
. Four assistant coaches—including the team's defensive coordinator
—were fired in the same shakeup that saw Skip demoted. On November 22, 2004, one season after Skip's demotion, Lou Holtz announced he was retiring as head coach of South Carolina. On the next day, South Carolina announced Steve Spurrier
as the next head football coach. Coach Spurrier announced that he was keeping only three members of Lou Holtz's staff. Letters were sent to all the other staffers—including Skip Holtz—informing them that they likely would not be retained.
. East Carolina announced Skip Holtz as their 19th head football coach on December 3, 2004. Holtz assumed control of a program that won just three games in its past 25 contests. Skip signed 23 athletes in his first recruiting class, including his first commit, Rob Kass. Also included in the recruiting class was future NFL player Aundrae Allison
. Skip's first victory at ECU came in the first game of the 2005 season as the Pirates defeated the Duke Blue Devils
24–21 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
. The victory was ECU's first non-conference Division I win since 2000, when the Pirates won the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl against Texas Tech
. During Holtz's first season, the Pirates also defeated conference foes Rice
, Southern Methodist University
, Marshall University
, and the University of Alabama Birmingham
.
In 2006
, Holtz's second season as head coach, ECU won seven games, including victories over intrastate rival North Carolina State University
, Conference USA
East rival Southern Miss
, and ACC
foe Virginia
. As a reward for their season, the Pirates earned their first bowl game under Holtz's tenure, playing the Bulls
of the University of South Florida
in the Papajohns.com Bowl, losing 24–7. Despite the bowl loss, the 2006 season was ECU's first winning season since 2000, and the Papajohns.com Bowl was the Pirates' first bowl game since 2001
.
In 2007
, Holtz's team won eight games, including wins over intrastate rival North Carolina
and going 3–2, verses Conference USA East opponents. Finishing second in the East Division, Holtz team was invited to the Hawai'i Bowl
to play #24 Boise State University
. East Carolina won the bowl game 41–38. This was the first bowl victory since the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl
verses Texas Tech
. It was also the first back-to-back winning season and bowl berth since the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
The 2008
season was opened with two upsets over ranked opponents; 17th ranked Virginia Tech
in week one and 8th ranked West Virginia
. This was the first time a Conference USA team beat three ranked teams in a row. Skip finished up the season 9–5, which included a C-USA East Division title and C-USA Champions title. This was the first time the Pirates played in the C-USA Championship Game. It also was the first conference title since 1976. The Pirates played in the Liberty Bowl
, losing to Kentucky
, 25–19. This was the third Liberty Bowl appearance. The last time the Pirates went to three straight bowl games was the 1999, 2000 and 2001 seasons.
. A press conference to introduce Holtz to the community was held for January 15, 2010. When someone in the crowd called out, "Beat Florida
!", Holtz replied, "That's why I'm here!" However, the Bulls would eventually end up on the short end of the stick in their match-up with the Gators later that season, 38-14.
Following his appointment to USF, Holtz stayed busy by making numerous public appearances throughout the month of February. along with putting the finishing touches on his coaching staff, luring several coaches down from East Carolina with him. He also helped secure his first signing class on Feb. 3, 2010
Holtz earned his first win as head coach of the Bulls on September 1, 2010 in USF's season opener against Stony Brook
59-14. Later that season, Holtz would lead his Bulls to the program's first victory over the Miami Hurricanes
. At the end of the season Holtz lead the USF Bulls to a mostly dominant 31-26 victory over the Clemson Tigers
at the Meineke Car Care Bowl
. This would mark the first Bowl victory for USF over a BCS team in the post season. After a long off season to the 2011 season Skip Holtz led the USF Bulls to an emotional homecoming against his Alma Mater the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
. After the 6 hour game, because of 2 rain delays, USF left South Bend with a 23-20 victory.
. When they first met, Holtz was impressed by Drew's positive attitude, and he has since called upon Drew to help motivate the football team, both as a speaker and through work with the team. The Drew Steele-Skip Holtz Golf Classic benefits citizens of Pitt County
with special needs.
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the University of South Florida
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
football team. For the previous five years, he served as the head coach of the East Carolina University
East Carolina Pirates
The East Carolina Pirates are the intercollegiate sports teams representing East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. All varsity-level sports teams sponsored by the university compete in NCAA Division I as a member of Conference USA...
football team. Skip, a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, was the head coach of the Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Huskies football
Connecticut Huskies football
The Connecticut Huskies football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big East Conference. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and...
team between 1994 and 1998 and an assistant head coach for the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
between 1998 and 2004.
Skip's father, Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
, is an acclaimed former head football coach and currently works as a commentator on the television channel ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. Due to his father's career as a collegiate football coach, Skip was exposed to football from an early age. At the time of Skip's birth, Lou was a football assistant for the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
. Skip attended Fayetteville High School in Arkansas, and played on the school's football team as the team's quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. At the same time, his father was the head coach at the University of Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. After graduating from Fayetteville High School, Skip attended Holy Cross College
Holy Cross College (Indiana)
Holy Cross College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, residential institution of higher education in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame...
for two years. He then transferred to Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, where he earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in business management. While at Notre Dame, he lettered in football as a special teams member and backup wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
.
Early life
Skip Holtz grew up in many towns while his father coached football. After Skip was born in Connecticut, the Holtz family moved to Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
for two years, as his father worked as an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina. In 1968, the family moved to Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
after Holtz took a job at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. One year later, the Holtz family moved to Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
and The College of William & Mary for Lou's first head coaching position. After two seasons, Lou took a head coaching position with the Wolfpack
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
of North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. The family lived in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
for four years until Lou accepted a head coaching job for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The family spent one year in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
while Lou coached the Jets. After resigning from the Jets, Lou took his family back to the American South when he accepted the head coaching job in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
, at the University of Arkansas in 1977. In Fayetteville, Skip attended Fayetteville High School and graduated in 1983.
Playing experience
While at high school in Fayetteville, Skip played for the school's football team at the quarterback position, bringing moderate success to the program. As a high school junior, he visited Notre Dame and met with head football coach Gerry FaustGerry Faust
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Faust is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1981 to 1985 and at the University of Akron from 1986 to 1994, compiling a career college football record of 73–79–4...
and head basketball coach Digger Phelps
Digger Phelps
Richard "Digger" Phelps is a former American college basketball coach, most notably of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team from 1971 to 1991. Since 1993, he has served as an analyst on ESPN.-Career:...
. In his final year of high school, Skip was denied admission to Notre Dame due to average grades and his failure to learn a foreign language. Coaches Faust and Phelps encouraged Skip to enroll at nearby Holy Cross College
Holy Cross College (Indiana)
Holy Cross College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, residential institution of higher education in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame...
, located adjacent to the university in Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. After two years of study at Holy Cross, Skip had improved his grades and transferred to Notre Dame. After his first year, Skip decided he wanted to speak with Coach Faust about walking on to the football team during his senior year. The discussions were cut short, however, as after the 1985 season, Coach Faust resigned. Replacing Faust was Skip's father, Lou, who eagerly accepted his son as a walk-on. Skip began spring practice before the 1986 season
1986 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Penn State winning the national championship. Coached by Joe Paterno, they defeated Miami 14–10 in the Fiesta Bowl. This Fiesta Bowl was the first in the game's history to decide the national championship, launching it into the top tier of...
as a quarterback, but quickly changed to flanker
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
due to his lack of throwing ability. As a flanker, he earned 54 yards on three reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s at the Blue-Gold intra-squad game in the spring of 1986. During the fall of 1986, Skip played in all 11 games on special teams. He never caught a pass, but rushed
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
once for one yard.
Early positions
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
, and Terry Donahue
Terry Donahue
Terry Donahue is a former American football, player, coach, and executive and, currently, a football analyst. He served as the head football coach at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1976 to 1995, compiling a record of 151–74–8. From 2001 to 2005, Donahue served as...
, but upon hearing of Skip's interest, Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
head coach Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
said, "if you can be here in two days, I've got a job for you at Florida State."
Upon arriving at Florida State in 1987, he became the graduate assistant coach. He met his future wife, Jennifer, in Coach Bowden's office while in Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
. He left after two years to become the wide receivers coach at Colorado State University under legendary coach Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa , Iowa State University , Ohio State University , the University of Northern Iowa , and Colorado State University , compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2...
. After one season, he went back to Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
to coach under his father.
Notre Dame
Holtz's first job at his alma materAlma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
was to serve as wide receivers coach, and he filled the position for two years. In 1992, the team began a search for a new offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. Lou's first choice, Joe Moore, declined. Lou then asked Skip for recommendations to fill the position. Skip initially said he wanted the position but said of Lou, "he couldn't do it at that time with me [Skip] being his son." Skip then mentioned Mark Richt
Mark Richt
Mark Richt is the head coach of the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team. His previous affiliations include fourteen years at Florida State University, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and one year as offensive coordinator at East Carolina University.-Early...
, who was then the offensive coordinator at Florida State. Lou Holtz called Coach Bowden to ask permission to speak to Mark Richt. Coach Bowden said Holtz could hire Richt as long as he could hire Skip. Coach Holtz said, "Well, if I'm just going to switch coaches, I might as well hire Skip." Skip became Notre Dame's offensive coordinator in 1992. Between 1992 and 1994, Skip and his father recorded 40 wins, eight losses, and one tie, an 82.7% winning percentage. Together, they coached Notre Dame to the Cotton Bowl Classic twice, beating Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
both times. Skip had the third-best total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
in the NCAA during the 1991 football season
1991 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split champion for the second consecutive season. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll...
.
University of Connecticut
Following his success at Notre Dame, Skip Holtz was asked to become the head coach of the Connecticut HuskiesConnecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
. He accepted the offer and took his first head coaching job on December 23, 1993. He replaced Tom Jackson, who had gone 14–19 over the past three years and had decided to resign on November 17, 1993. He agreed to a four-year contract at a salary of $95,000 a year. Even though Skip came from a "major football institution" (Notre Dame), University of Connecticut President Dr. Harry J. Hartley said that the hire "should not be seen as a signal that Connecticut intends to upgrade its program." Despite Hartley's remarks, Holtz planned to help elevate the team from I-AA to I-A. Holtz commented on Hartley's remarks by saying "I'd love to have the opportunity to coach a Division I team here...." In 1998, UConn, after 100 years of football and five years with Skip Holtz as its head coach, played in its first Division I-AA playoff game. The Huskies scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to beat Hampton University, 42–34. In the next round of the playoffs, the Huskies lost to the eventual runner-up
Runner-up
Runner-up is a term used to denote a participant which finishes in second place in any of a variety of competitive endeavors, most notably sporting events and beauty pageants; in the latter instance, the term is applied to more than one of the highest-ranked non-winning contestants, the...
, Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern Eagles football
The Georgia Southern Eagles represent Georgia Southern University in football as part of the Southern Conference under head coach Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six FCS national championships and eight Southern Conference championships and have produced two Walter Payton Award...
, on December 5. Two days later, Skip resigned as head coach of the Huskies in order to rejoin his father, who had taken the head coaching job at South Carolina the day before the Huskies' loss. As the leader of the Huskies football team, he accumulated a winning percentage of .596 (34–23) over five seasons.
University of South Carolina
Head and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
. Two years later, the cancer spread to her liver
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
, lung
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
, adrenal glands, and ovary
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
. Meanwhile, Skip and Lou continued to coach football at South Carolina. As Lou began to struggle as head coach, the question of his eventual successor arose. When Skip was hired in 1998, Lou had included a clause in the hiring contract that Skip would succeed him after he retired. South Carolina Athletic Director rebutted by saying, "There are no formal or informal guarantees at him," and "It's always helpful to have potential succession in a staff."
The 2000 and 2001 seasons brought South Carolina back to national prominence with consecutive Outback Bowl wins over Ohio State and season ending rankings in the Top 25. However, after going 5–7 the following two seasons and suffering a season-ending blowout in 2003 by intrastate rival Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Skip was demoted from the offensive coordinator and assistant head coaching positions to quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
. Four assistant coaches—including the team's defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
—were fired in the same shakeup that saw Skip demoted. On November 22, 2004, one season after Skip's demotion, Lou Holtz announced he was retiring as head coach of South Carolina. On the next day, South Carolina announced Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
as the next head football coach. Coach Spurrier announced that he was keeping only three members of Lou Holtz's staff. Letters were sent to all the other staffers—including Skip Holtz—informing them that they likely would not be retained.
East Carolina University
With his firing imminent, Holtz resigned. Because he was formerly a coach, Skip had several offers from Division I-A and Division I-AA teams. After several interviews, he elected to take the head coaching position at East Carolina UniversityEast Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. East Carolina announced Skip Holtz as their 19th head football coach on December 3, 2004. Holtz assumed control of a program that won just three games in its past 25 contests. Skip signed 23 athletes in his first recruiting class, including his first commit, Rob Kass. Also included in the recruiting class was future NFL player Aundrae Allison
Aundrae Allison
Aundrae Akeem Allison is an American football wide receiver for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at East Carolina.He has also been a member of the New York Jets, and...
. Skip's first victory at ECU came in the first game of the 2005 season as the Pirates defeated the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
24–21 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium is the on-campus football facility for the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina. The official capacity of the stadium is 50,000, making it the third largest college stadium in North Carolina. The record attendance for the stadium was on October...
. The victory was ECU's first non-conference Division I win since 2000, when the Pirates won the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl against Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. During Holtz's first season, the Pirates also defeated conference foes Rice
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
, Southern Methodist University
SMU Mustangs football
The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
, Marshall University
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
, and the University of Alabama Birmingham
UAB Blazers football
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers college football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , as a member of the East Division of Conference USA . UAB plays its home games at Legion Field, which is located off-campus in Birmingham, Alabama...
.
In 2006
2006 East Carolina Pirates football team
-Schedule:...
, Holtz's second season as head coach, ECU won seven games, including victories over intrastate rival North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
, Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
East rival Southern Miss
Southern Miss Golden Eagles football
The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Southern Mississippi in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Eagles are members of Conference USA and player their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi...
, and ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
foe Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. As a reward for their season, the Pirates earned their first bowl game under Holtz's tenure, playing the Bulls
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
of the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
in the Papajohns.com Bowl, losing 24–7. Despite the bowl loss, the 2006 season was ECU's first winning season since 2000, and the Papajohns.com Bowl was the Pirates' first bowl game since 2001
2001 GMAC Bowl
The 2001 GMAC Bowl, a college football bowl game held on December 19 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, pitted the Marshall Thundering Herd, then of the Mid-American Conference, against the East Carolina Pirates from Conference USA...
.
In 2007
2007 East Carolina Pirates football team
The 2007 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2007-08 and playws their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium...
, Holtz's team won eight games, including wins over intrastate rival North Carolina
2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina in the 2007 college football season. The team was led by first year coach Butch Davis.-Previous season:...
and going 3–2, verses Conference USA East opponents. Finishing second in the East Division, Holtz team was invited to the Hawai'i Bowl
2007 Hawai'i Bowl
The 2007 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Boise State University Broncos from the Western Athletic Conference and the East Carolina University Pirates from Conference USA at the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 23, 2007...
to play #24 Boise State University
2007 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2007 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2007 college football season. The Broncos, led by second year head coach Chris Petersen, play their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the...
. East Carolina won the bowl game 41–38. This was the first bowl victory since the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl
2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl
The 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Texas Tech University Red Raiders from the Big 12 and the East Carolina University Pirates from Conference USA at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas on December 27, 2000. It was the inaugural game in the...
verses Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. It was also the first back-to-back winning season and bowl berth since the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
The 2008
2008 East Carolina Pirates football team
The 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2008-09. and plays their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium...
season was opened with two upsets over ranked opponents; 17th ranked Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
in week one and 8th ranked West Virginia
2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team competed on behalf of West Virginia University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill Stewart, who took over after he led the Mountaineers to a 2008 Fiesta Bowl victory over the #3 Oklahoma Sooners as the...
. This was the first time a Conference USA team beat three ranked teams in a row. Skip finished up the season 9–5, which included a C-USA East Division title and C-USA Champions title. This was the first time the Pirates played in the C-USA Championship Game. It also was the first conference title since 1976. The Pirates played in the Liberty Bowl
2009 Liberty Bowl
The 2009 AutoZone Liberty Bowl is the fiftieth annual college football bowl game, and was played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee on January 2, 2009 as part of the 2008-09 bowl season. The East Carolina Pirates accepted their invitation after their victory over the Tulsa...
, losing to Kentucky
2008 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2008 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach was Rich Brooks, who served his sixth year in the position...
, 25–19. This was the third Liberty Bowl appearance. The last time the Pirates went to three straight bowl games was the 1999, 2000 and 2001 seasons.
University of South Florida
On January 14, 2010, it was announced that Holtz accepted the Head Coach position at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, Florida, taking the place of the recently fired Jim LeavittJim Leavitt
Jim Leavitt is a former American football player and current linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He served at the head coach at the University of South Florida from the football program's inception in 1997 until 2009, compiling a record of 95–57.-Early years:Leavitt grew up in St...
. A press conference to introduce Holtz to the community was held for January 15, 2010. When someone in the crowd called out, "Beat Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
!", Holtz replied, "That's why I'm here!" However, the Bulls would eventually end up on the short end of the stick in their match-up with the Gators later that season, 38-14.
Following his appointment to USF, Holtz stayed busy by making numerous public appearances throughout the month of February. along with putting the finishing touches on his coaching staff, luring several coaches down from East Carolina with him. He also helped secure his first signing class on Feb. 3, 2010
Holtz earned his first win as head coach of the Bulls on September 1, 2010 in USF's season opener against Stony Brook
Stony Brook Seawolves football
The Stony Brook Seawolves football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I FCS and in the Big South Conference. Stony Brook University first fielded a team in 1984 and rose to Division II in 1994. In 1999 the Seawolves rose to Division I non-scholarship as part of the...
59-14. Later that season, Holtz would lead his Bulls to the program's first victory over the Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
. At the end of the season Holtz lead the USF Bulls to a mostly dominant 31-26 victory over the Clemson Tigers
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
at the Meineke Car Care Bowl
Meineke Car Care Bowl
The Belk Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. First played in 2002, it was certified by the NCAA as the Queen City Bowl and was previously known as the Continental Tire Bowl and the Meineke Car Care Bowl before Belk acquired...
. This would mark the first Bowl victory for USF over a BCS team in the post season. After a long off season to the 2011 season Skip Holtz led the USF Bulls to an emotional homecoming against his Alma Mater the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. After the 6 hour game, because of 2 rain delays, USF left South Bend with a 23-20 victory.
Personal life
Holtz and his wife Jennifer Fitzgerald, whom he met while he was working at Florida State, have two sons and a daughter. Outside of the football team, Holtz is deeply involved with an annual spring golf tournament named the Drew Steele-Skip Holtz Golf Classic. Drew Steele is the son of former East Carolina basketball coach Mike Steele and has Down syndromeDown syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
. When they first met, Holtz was impressed by Drew's positive attitude, and he has since called upon Drew to help motivate the football team, both as a speaker and through work with the team. The Drew Steele-Skip Holtz Golf Classic benefits citizens of Pitt County
Pitt County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 133,798 people, 52,539 households, and 32,258 families residing in the county. The population density was 205 people per square mile . There were 58,408 housing units at an average density of 90 per square mile...
with special needs.
Bowl experience
Holtz has participated in 15 postseason games in his coaching career. Seven games occurred while he was head coach and eight when he was an assistant coach. Of the seven games where he was the head coach, five occurred in the Football Bowl Subdivision(FBS) (formerly Division I-A) and two occurred in Division I-AA (now known as Football Championship Subdivision). As a FBS head coach, he is currently 2–3. Each playoff game is treated like a separate bowl game.| Bowl year | Bowl game | Participants | Result | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 2010–11 NCAA football bowl games The 2010–11 NCAA football bowl games concluded the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season and included 35 team-competitive bowl games and four all-star games. The games began play with three bowls on December 18, 2010 and included the 2011 BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona... |
Meineke Car Care Bowl Meineke Car Care Bowl The Belk Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. First played in 2002, it was certified by the NCAA as the Queen City Bowl and was previously known as the Continental Tire Bowl and the Meineke Car Care Bowl before Belk acquired... |
South Florida 2010 South Florida Bulls football team The 2010 South Florida Bulls football team represented the University of South Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The USF Bulls played their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. The 2010 college football season was only the 14th season overall for the Bulls, and... vs. Clemson 2010 Clemson Tigers football team The 2010 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his second full year and third year overall after taking over the job midway through the 2008 season... |
W 31–26 | |
| 2009 2009–10 NCAA football bowl games The 2009–10 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision College Football Post-Season followed the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It comprises 34 team-competitive bowl games, and three all-star games. The games began play on December 19, 2009 and included the 2010 BCS National Championship... |
Liberty Bowl 2010 Liberty Bowl (January) The 2010 Liberty Bowl was the fifty-first edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The game started at 5:30 PM US EST on Saturday, January 2, 2010... |
East Carolina 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team The 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2009-10 and played their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The team was coached by Skip Holtz, who was in his fifth and final year with the program... vs. Arkansas 2009 Arkansas Razorbacks football team The 2009 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2009 football season. The Razorbacks played five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and two home games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Head coach... |
L 17–20 (OT) | |
| 2008 NCAA football bowl games, 2008-09 The 2008–09 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision College Football Post-Season, which followed the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season contained a record number of bowl games scheduled in history, as a total of 37 bowl games were played starting on December 20, 2008 with four contests,... |
Liberty Bowl 2009 Liberty Bowl The 2009 AutoZone Liberty Bowl is the fiftieth annual college football bowl game, and was played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee on January 2, 2009 as part of the 2008-09 bowl season. The East Carolina Pirates accepted their invitation after their victory over the Tulsa... |
East Carolina 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team The 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2008-09. and plays their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium... vs. Kentucky 2008 Kentucky Wildcats football team The 2008 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach was Rich Brooks, who served his sixth year in the position... |
L 19–25 | |
| 2007 | Hawai'i Bowl 2007 Hawai'i Bowl The 2007 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Boise State University Broncos from the Western Athletic Conference and the East Carolina University Pirates from Conference USA at the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 23, 2007... |
East Carolina 2007 East Carolina Pirates football team The 2007 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2007-08 and playws their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium... vs. Boise State 2007 Boise State Broncos football team The 2007 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2007 college football season. The Broncos, led by second year head coach Chris Petersen, play their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the... |
W 41–38 | |
| 2006 NCAA football bowl games, 2006-07 The 2006-07 NCAA College Football Bowl Games post-season schedule followed the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS regular season in college football. The NCAA divided Division I into two divisions for football in 1978. The top level, originally known as "Division I-A" and officially changed to the "Football... |
Papajohns.com Bowl 2006 PapaJohns.com Bowl The 2006 PapaJohns.com Bowl was the inaugural postseason college football match of the game, between the East Carolina Pirates and the South Florida Bulls at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. East Carolina University represented Conference USA and the University of South Florida represented the... |
East Carolina 2006 East Carolina Pirates football team -Schedule:... vs. South Florida South Florida Bulls football The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus... |
L 27–7 | |
| 2002 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.The Hurricanes were led by Larry Coker, who was in his first year as head coach after five years as Miami's offensive coordinator under Butch Davis... |
Outback Bowl 2002 Outback Bowl The 2002 edition to the Outback Bowl featured the South Carolina Gamecocks, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. South Carolina had blown out Ohio State in the previous year's game, 24-7.... |
South Carolina 2001 South Carolina Gamecocks football team The 2001 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks were led by Lou Holtz in his third season as USC head coach, and played their home games in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC.Carolina followed up one of... vs. Ohio State 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team The 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2001-2002. It marked their first season under new head coach Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes compiled a 7–5 record, capped by a 26–20 victory over their fierce rival the Michigan... |
W 31–28 | #13 |
| 2001 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Oklahoma Sooners claiming their first national championship and their first conference championship since the departure of head coach Barry Switzer.... |
Outback Bowl 2001 Outback Bowl The 2001 edition to the Outback Bowl featured the South Carolina Gamecocks, and the Ohio State Buckeyes.After a scoreless first quarter, South Carolina's kicker Jason Corse put the Gamecocks on the board with a 23 yard field goal, giving USC an early 3-0 lead... |
South Carolina 2000 South Carolina Gamecocks football team The 2000 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks were led by Lou Holtz in his second season as USC head coach and played their home games in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC.Carolina played their way to... vs. Ohio State 2000 Ohio State Buckeyes football team The 2000 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2000-2001. The Buckeyes compiled a 8–4 record, including a 38–26 loss to rival Michigan in Columbus in the regular season finale and a 24–7 loss to the South Carolina... |
W 31–7 | #19 |
| 1998 | Playoffs | Connecticut vs. Hampton Connecticut vs.Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Eagles football The Georgia Southern Eagles represent Georgia Southern University in football as part of the Southern Conference under head coach Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six FCS national championships and eight Southern Conference championships and have produced two Walter Payton Award... |
W 42–34 L 52–30 |
#7 |
| 1994 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned national champions, but not without controversy.Under the Bowl Coalition, undefeated Big 8 champ and #2 ranked Nebraska hosted ACC champ and #1 ranked Florida State in the Orange Bowl... |
Cotton Bowl Classic | Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M 1993 Texas A&M Aggies football team The 1993 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 10-2 record. The Aggies had a regular season Southwest Conference record of 7-0.-Schedule:-Louisiana State:-Oklahoma:-Missouri:-Texas Tech:-Houston:... |
W 24–21 | #2 |
| 1993 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first year of the Bowl Coalition, and ended with Alabama's first national championship in thirteen years—their first since the departure of Bear Bryant... |
Cotton Bowl Classic | Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M 1992 Texas A&M Aggies football team The 1992 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 12-1 record. The Aggies had a regular season Southwest Conference record of 7-0.-Schedule:-Stanford:-Louisiana State:-Tulsa:-Missouri:-Texas Tech:... |
W 24–3 | #4 |
| 1992 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split champion for the second consecutive season. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll... |
Sugar Bowl 1992 Sugar Bowl The 1992 Sugar Bowl was the 58th edition to the annual game. It featured the third-ranked Florida Gators and the 18th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Using a come-from-behind performance, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish upset the highly favored Gators 39–28... |
Notre Dame vs. Florida | W 39–28 | #13 |
| 1991 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split championship and the ensuing controversy led to the creation of the Bowl Coalition, a precursor to the Bowl Championship Series. The title was split between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets... |
Orange Bowl 1991 Orange Bowl The 1991 Orange Bowl was a 1990–1991 college football bowl game that was played on January 1, 1991, for the national championship. The 57th edition of the Orange Bowl featured the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the Colorado Buffaloes. Colorado came into the game with a 10–1–1 record and #1 AP... |
Notre Dame vs. Colorado 1990 Colorado Buffaloes football team The 1990 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado at Boulder in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Buffaloes offense scored 338 points while the defense allowed 160 points. Led by head coach Bill McCartney, Colorado competed against Notre Dame in the... |
L 10–9 | #6 |
| 1989 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Notre Dame winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title via a 34-21 defeat of previously unbeaten West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona.... |
Sugar Bowl 1989 Sugar Bowl The 1989 Sugar Bowl was the 57th edition of the annual game. It featured the fourth ranked and the seventh ranked Auburn Tigers. The game was a defensive slugfest, with the final score Florida State 13, Auburn 7.... |
Florida State vs. Auburn 1988 Auburn Tigers football team The 1988 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. Coached by Pat Dye, the team finished the season with a 10–2 record and won their second of three straight SEC titles, sharing it with LSU. LSU handed Auburn their only conference... |
W 13–7 | #3 |
| 1988 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the 80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs... |
Fiesta Bowl 1988 Fiesta Bowl The 1988 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl, played on January 1, 1988, was the 17th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and the .... |
Florida State vs. Nebraska 1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team The 1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:... |
W 31–28 | #2 |