GOP lawmakers mourn legendary football coach Lou Holtz

Multiple salient Republican legislature lawmakers and different high-ranking officials crossed the state shared their condolences aft the decease of legendary assemblage shot manager Lou Holtz connected Wednesday. 

The GOP lawmakers to talk retired included Sens. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Todd Young, R-Ind., Tom Cotton, R-Ark. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Reps. Greg Murphy, R-N.C. David Rouzer, R-N.C., Erin Houchin, R-Ind., Steve Womack, R-Ark., Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and Rudy Giuliani. 

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At the clip of publication, salient Democrat leaders person appeared soundless connected Holtz's passing, including salient Democrats with a shot background. 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who worked arsenic an adjunct precocious schoolhouse shot coach, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who was a recruiting people for Holtz successful 1986 arsenic a assemblage prospect, Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, who played successful the NFL, and Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Ill., who played shot for the University of Illinois, person each not made posts acknowledging Holtz's death. 

Fox News Digital has reached retired to Waltz, Booker, Allred and Buckner's offices for comment. 

Lou Holtz, who spent 33 years starring teams, including the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, died Wednesday. He was 89. 

The shot squad released a connection from Holtz’s family, saying helium died surrounded by household astatine his location successful Orlando, Florida. 

"Louis Leo ‘Lou’ Holtz, legendary assemblage shot coach, Hall of Famer, bestselling author, and 1 of America’s astir influential motivational voices, has passed distant astatine the property of 89 successful Orlando, Florida, surrounded by family," the connection said. 

"Born January 6, 1937, successful Follansbee, West Virginia, Holtz roseate from humble beginnings to go 1 of the astir respected figures successful assemblage athletics. 

"Over a singular five-decade career, helium led assemblage programs astatine William & Mary, N.C. State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. He transformed each squad helium inherited and captured the 1988 National Championship with the Fighting Irish. Holtz was preceded successful decease by his beloved woman of much than 50 years, Beth, with whom helium shared a beingness grounded successful faith, devotion, and service."

Head manager Lou Holtz of the Arkansas Razorbacks walks connected the sidelines arsenic his squad takes connected the Oklahoma Sooner successful the 1978 Orange Bowl connected Jan. 2, 1978 astatine the Orange Bowl successful Miami, Florida. (Rich Clarkson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Holtz had reportedly entered hospice attraction successful precocious January. 

Holtz was the archetypal manager successful NCAA past to bring six antithetic shot programs to vessel games, including William & Mary (1969-71), N.C. State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83) and South Carolina (1999-2004). The lone squad helium wasn’t capable to execute the feat with was Minnesota, which helium led from 1984-85.

In caller years, Holtz has been a stern protagonist of President Donald Trump, adjacent saying successful February 2024 that Trump needed to "coach America backmost to greatness!"

Near the extremity of Trump's archetypal term, soon aft erstwhile President Joe Biden defeated him successful the 2020 election, Trump awarded Holtz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian grant of the United States. 

"I volition accidental this astir Lou: Everybody loves him," Trump said during the ceremonial successful December 2020. "Everybody respects him. He’s pugnacious arsenic hell, and yet they each respect Lou. They conscionable — it’s amazing. They emotion him, and they respect him. Sometimes, it’s a operation that doesn’t travel together, you know? They respect, but you are — you are something. ‘I ne'er coached football; I coached life,’ helium said. And it’s true. His players truly ever loved him."

Head manager Lou Holtz of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish watches from the sidelines during an NCAA shot crippled against the Stanford Cardinal connected Oct. 7, 1989, astatine Stanford Stadium successful Palo Alto, California. (David Madison/Getty Images)

Holtz, who besides spoke astatine the 2020 Republican National Convention, was humbled by the honor. 

"It’s the highest grant oregon grant you could perchance receive, and I person it with mixed emotions. First of all, I’m humbled," Holtz told "Fox & Friends" afterward. "There are galore much radical acold worthy than me, I tin guarantee you. 

"Nobody is much appreciative than me. So, I’m excited to person this accidental and, astatine the aforesaid time, I’m excited to person it from President Trump. The president I respect and respect. I deliberation helium did a tremendous job."

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At the time, Holtz besides called Trump "one of the large presidents of my lifetime."

Holtz finished his coaching vocation with a 249-132-7 grounds successful 388 games. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame successful 2008.   

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