page_title: Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
section_title: Lou Holtz era (1986–1996)
hierarchical_section_title: Notre Dame Fighting Irish football / History / Lou Holtz era (1986–1996)
caption_attribution_description: Lou Holtz in July 2007. Cropped version of Image:Lou Holtz.jpg.
context_page_description: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the intercollegiate football team representing the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly and plays its home games at the campus's Notre Dame Stadium, which has a capacity of 77,622. Notre Dame is one of six schools that competes as an Independent at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision level; however, they play five games a year against opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which Notre Dame is a member in all other sports except ice hockey.
  The school claims 11 national championships, but the NCAA recognizes them with 13.
  Moreover, Notre Dame has 22 national championships recognized by all major selectors; this is tied with Alabama for the most in the FBS. Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Ohio State share the record of seven Heisman Trophy winners. Notre Dame has produced 102 consensus All-Americans, 34 unanimous All-Americans, 52 members of the College Football Hall of Fame, and 13 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all NCAA records. Notre Dame has had 495 players selected in the NFL Draft, second only to USC.
context_section_description: Lou Holtz had 17 years of head coaching experience by the time he was hired to lead the Irish. He had previously been head coach of William & Mary, North Carolina State, the NFL's New York Jets, Arkansas, and Minnesota. Holtz began in 1986 where his predecessor left off in 1985, finishing with an identical record of 5 wins and 6 losses. However, unlike the 1985 squad, which was generally outcoached and outplayed, Holtz's 1986 edition was competitive in nearly every game, losing five out of those six games by a combined total of 14 points. That would be his only losing season as he posted a record of 95–24–2 over the next ten seasons adding up to a 100–30–2 record overall.
  In 1987, Holtz led the Irish to an 8–4 record. Notre Dame's best player was star wide receiver Tim Brown, who would win the Heisman Trophy that season and is Notre Dame's seventh and last Heisman winner to date. The season began with the Irish defeating #9 Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan by a score of 26–7. The next week, the Irish defeated #17 Michigan State by a score of 31–8. After defeating Purdue, the Irish lost to Pittsburgh and lost starting quarterback Terry Andrysiak to injury during the game. With sophomore quarterback Tony Rice under center, the Irish reeled off five straight wins, beginning with Air Force, then USC, Navy, Boston College and #10 Alabama. Notre Dame would then lose their last three to close the season, starting with Penn State, then #2 Miami and Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.
  In contrast to Faust, Holtz was well known as a master motivator and a strict disciplinarian. The tone was set with Holtz's first meeting with his team as Irish head coach in 1986, immediately demanding his players sit up straight in their chairs and look him in the eye as he spoke. He displayed the latter trait in spades when two of his top contributing players showed up late for dinner right before the then top-ranked Irish played second-ranked USC in the final regular season game of 1988. In a controversial move, coach Lou Holtz took his 10–0 Irish squad to Los Angeles without stars Ricky Watters and Tony Brooks, who he suspended for disciplinary reasons. This was not the first time these players had gotten into trouble and the players had been warned there would be serious consequences if it happened again. His move was vindicated when the Irish defeated USC anyway. Holtz was named national coach of the year (Paul "Bear" Bryant Award) in 1988, the same season he took Notre Dame to an upset of No. 1 Miami in the Catholics vs. Convicts series and a win over No. 3 West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl, thus capturing the national championship. The Irish finished a perfect 12–0 in 1988, its last undefeated season and national championship to date.
  Occasionally, despite his lack of success with the N.Y. Jets, he was rumored to be leaving Notre Dame for the NFL. Following a 6–10 season in 1990 and an 8–8 showing in 1991, the Minnesota Vikings were rumored to replace Jerry Burns with Holtz. However, Holtz denied these rumors each of those two seasons.  Holtz remained at Notre Dame; the Vikings, meanwhile, hired Dennis Green to replace the retired Jerry Burns. Holtz nearly replaced Green five years later after retiring from Notre Dame.
  In 1989, Holtz led the Irish to a 12–1 record. The Irish began the season in the Kickoff Classic game in East Rutherford, New Jersey against Virginia. The Irish won by a score of 36–13. Next, top-ranked Notre Dame defeated #2 Michigan by a score of 24–19. That was followed by wins over Michigan State, Purdue, Stanford, #17 Air Force, #9 USC, #7 Pittsburgh, Navy, SMU and #17 Penn State. The Irish would lose to #7 Miami the following week, ending Notre Dame's 23-game winning streak. Holtz would lead the Irish to a victory in the Orange Bowl over #1 Colorado to end the season.
  Holtz led the Fighting Irish to a 9–3 record in 1990. The season began with a #1 ranking and a victory over #4 Michigan by a score of 28–24. The Irish defeated #24 Michigan State the following week then beat Purdue. The Irish would suffer its first defeat of the s
caption: Coach Holtz
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