Legendary college football coach Lou Holtz passed away at the age of 89 on Wednesday, prompting a flurry of reaction from the plethora of individuals who were impacted by Holtz throughout his time as a coach or analyst of the sport.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was one of such people, and he shared his thoughts on Holtz’ passing:
Lou Holtz was a giant of college football whose influence on the game is matched only the impact he had on people…
Sankey then delved into his earliest memories of Holtz, stemming from when the current Commissioner was just starting out with the conference.
…When I was a new member of the SEC office staff, Coach Holtz was incredibly kind and supportive of me. I visited with him last year when he was in Fayetteville, and I thanked him for his help and encouragement….
Sankey wrapped his statement by applauding Holtz for his impact on college football as a whole, as well as the two SEC schools in Arkansas (1977-1983) and South Carolina (1999-2004) that he coached.
…As head football coach at two current SEC Universities, Coach Holtz left lasting legacies by elevating programs and inspiring communities. College football is better because of Lou Holtz, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, his former players, and the legions of fans who enjoyed his victories and his unforgettable personality.
Parker is currently the sports editor for the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
