1969-2004 • Arkansas, Minnesota, NC State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, William & Mary
6 schools coached, anchored by Notre Dame.
Lou Holtz coached 33 seasons, won 65.1%, and posted an average SRS of 11.0. Best season: 1988 Notre Dame. The profile was balanced with a highly volatile profile. 6 stops shaped the career arc.
Career Record
249-132-7
Career Win %
65.1%
Seasons
33
Career Span
36 years
Average SRS
11.0
Peak SRS
27.5
Best Finish
#1
Consistency
3.7
Higher = steadier
Track how the coach's season-to-season performance changed over time, where the peak landed, and where each school stop began.
Focus on where peaks separate, where floors hold, and how the shape of each career changed over time.
Active comparison point
12-0 • SRS 27.5 • SP Overall 32.9
Win %
100.0%
YoY SRS
+8.8
SP Off / Def
43.1 / 10.8
Finish
#1
Comparison context
Focus a point to inspect how it stacks up against the rest of the field.
Each stop is sized by tenure length. Richer fill reflects a stronger average SRS at that school.
South Carolina
1999-2004 • 6 seasons
Avg SRS 4.1 • Win % 47.1%
Notre Dame
1986-1996 • 11 seasons
Avg SRS 20.5 • Win % 76.5%
Minnesota
1984-1985 • 2 seasons
Avg SRS -0.1 • Win % 45.5%
Arkansas
1977-1983 • 7 seasons
Avg SRS 15.3 • Win % 73.5%
NC State
1972-1975 • 4 seasons
Avg SRS 13.4 • Win % 71.9%
William & Mary
1969-1971 • 3 seasons
Avg SRS -16.1 • Win % 39.4%
Longest Tenure
Notre Dame • 11 seasons
Best Tenure
Notre Dame • 20.5 SRS
Best Tenure Win %
Notre Dame • 76.5%
Compare strength, identity, steadiness, and ceiling through normalized bars with raw SP and SRS context underneath.
These bars are normalized against the full coach dataset. Raw SP and SRS values stay visible so the profile reads as evidence, not decoration.
Start with total quality before splitting style and variance.
Lou Holtz sets the reference point in overall strength.
Lou Holtz sets the reference point in overall strength.
Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.
Lou Holtz
Elite
Raw avg SP Overall: 14.8
94th pct
Elite
See how each stop compared with what that program usually looked like outside this tenure.
1999-2004 • 33-37
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
5.5 during vs 4.6 baseline
+0.9
Avg SRS
Higher is better
4.1 during vs 1.7 baseline
+2.4
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
6.2 during vs 3.2 baseline
+3.0
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
33.3% during vs 0.0% baseline
+33.3%
1986-1996 • 100-30-2
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
9.1 during vs 6.0 baseline
+3.1
Avg SRS
Higher is better
20.5 during vs 12.2 baseline
+8.2
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
25.2 during vs 14.8 baseline
+10.4
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
81.8% during vs 0.0% baseline
+81.8%
1984-1985 • 10-12
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
5.0 during vs 3.8 baseline
+1.2
Avg SRS
Higher is better
-0.1 during vs -2.9 baseline
+2.8
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
-0.7 during vs -6.1 baseline
+5.4
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+0.0%
1977-1983 • 60-21-2
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
8.6 during vs 6.4 baseline
+2.2
Avg SRS
Higher is better
15.3 during vs 11.5 baseline
+3.8
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
16.1 during vs 13.1 baseline
+3.0
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
57.1% during vs 20.0% baseline
+37.1%
1972-1975 • 33-12-3
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
8.3 during vs 4.8 baseline
+3.5
Avg SRS
Higher is better
13.4 during vs 0.7 baseline
+12.7
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
16.5 during vs -13.8 baseline
+30.4
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
75.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+75.0%
1969-1971 • 13-20
Compared with this school's baseline outside the tenure over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).
Avg wins
Higher is better
4.3 during vs 4.6 baseline
-0.3
Avg SRS
Higher is better
-16.1 during vs -9.4 baseline
-6.7
Avg SP Overall
Higher is better
-9.4 during vs — baseline
—
Ranked finish rate
Higher is better
0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline
+0.0%
High Points
Best Season
Notre Dame 1988
12-0 • SRS 27.5
Biggest Improvement
William & Mary 1971
5-6 • 22.6 SRS
Best Offensive Season
Notre Dame 1991
10-3 • SP Off 45.9
Best Defensive Season
Arkansas 1979
10-2 • SP Def 9.0
Setbacks
Worst Season
William & Mary 1970
5-7 • SRS -23.9
Biggest Drop
South Carolina 1999
0-11 • -29.9 SRS
Full transparency into every season in the coaching record. Positive YoY values indicate improvement from the prior season.
| South Carolina | 2004 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.5% | — | — | 4.5 | 6.4 | 28.7 | 23.4 | +1.0 | +12.9% |
| South Carolina | 2003 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 41.7% | — | — | 3.5 | 9.2 | 33.3 | 25.8 | +2.9 | 0.0% |
| South Carolina | 2002 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 41.7% | #22 | — | 0.6 | 0.4 | 24.7 | 24.5 | -12.4 | -33.3% |
| South Carolina | 2001 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | #21 | #13 | 13.0 | 17.5 | 34.7 | 18.7 | +1.4 | +8.3% |
| South Carolina | 2000 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% | — | #19 | 11.6 | 16.6 | 30.5 | 15.2 | +20.3 | +66.7% |
| South Carolina | 1999 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.0% | — | — | -8.7 | -13.0 | 13.5 | 25.5 | -29.9 | -72.7% |
| Notre Dame | 1996 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 72.7% | #6 | #19 | 21.2 | 23.5 | 42.5 | 21.6 | -0.3 | -2.3% |
| Notre Dame | 1995 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | #9 | #11 | 21.5 | 25.5 | 43.5 | 19.9 | +8.6 | +20.8% |
| Notre Dame | 1994 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 54.2% | #2 | — | 12.9 | 16.1 | 38.8 | 24.8 | -9.4 | -37.5% |
| Notre Dame | 1993 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 91.7% | #7 | #2 | 22.3 | 28.1 | 44.6 | 18.9 | -2.1 | +4.2% |
| Notre Dame | 1992 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 87.5% | #3 | #4 | 24.4 | 27.9 | 43.5 | 17.8 | +4.2 | +10.6% |
| Notre Dame | 1991 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 76.9% | #6 | #13 | 20.2 | 26.0 | 45.9 | 23.3 | +3.1 | +1.9% |
| Notre Dame | 1990 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | #2 | #6 | 17.1 | 23.7 | 41.7 | 19.8 | -8.2 | -17.3% |
| Notre Dame | 1989 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 92.3% | #2 | #2 | 25.3 | 31.1 | 43.1 | 12.5 | -2.2 | -7.7% |
| Notre Dame | 1988 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% | #13 | #1 | 27.5 | 32.9 | 43.1 | 10.8 | +8.8 | +33.3% |
| Notre Dame | 1987 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% | #18 | #17 | 18.7 | 24.0 | 39.3 | 16.5 | +4.5 | +21.2% |
| Notre Dame | 1986 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5% | — | — | 14.2 | 18.3 | 36.7 | 20.0 | +7.4 | -9.1% |
| Minnesota | 1985 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.5% | — | — | 6.8 | 11.4 | 30.1 | 19.5 | +13.7 | +18.2% |
| Minnesota | 1984 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 36.4% | — | — | -6.9 | -12.8 | 22.9 | 33.9 | -8.2 | -18.2% |
| Arkansas | 1983 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.5% | — | — | 1.3 | 3.7 | 21.9 | 18.8 | -12.3 | -24.6% |
| Arkansas | 1982 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 79.2% | #13 | #9 | 13.6 | 17.0 | 29.8 | 14.0 | -1.3 | +12.5% |
| Arkansas | 1981 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% | — | — | 14.9 | 14.5 | 34.2 | 20.6 | +7.3 | +8.3% |
| Arkansas | 1980 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 58.3% | #6 | — | 7.6 | 7.9 | 29.2 | 22.4 | -13.3 | -25.0% |
| Arkansas | 1979 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 83.3% | #20 | #8 | 20.9 | 23.7 | 32.1 | 9.0 | -2.5 | +4.2% |
| Arkansas | 1978 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 79.2% | #2 | #11 | 23.4 | 22.2 | 34.6 | 13.2 | -2.3 | -12.5% |
| Arkansas | 1977 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 91.7% | — | #3 | 25.7 | 24.0 | 35.9 | 12.4 | +18.6 | +29.2% |
| NC State | 1975 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 62.5% | #13 | — | 7.1 | 10.3 | 28.5 | 18.9 | -4.5 | -16.7% |
| NC State | 1974 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 79.2% | #18 | #11 | 11.6 | 15.2 | 35.2 | 21.5 | -7.4 | +4.2% |
| NC State | 1973 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | #17 | #16 | 19.0 | 21.6 | 42.1 | 23.1 | +2.9 | +4.2% |
| NC State | 1972 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 70.8% | — | #17 | 16.1 | 18.9 | 40.7 | 25.0 | +17.4 | +25.4% |
| William & Mary | 1971 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5% | — | — | -1.3 | 0.8 | 29.2 | 29.0 | +22.6 | +3.8% |
| William & Mary | 1970 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 41.7% | — | — | -23.9 | -19.7 | 17.8 | 35.9 | -0.8 | +11.7% |
| William & Mary | 1969 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 30.0% | — | — | -23.1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Related profiles are matched by style, strength band, volatility band, peak range, and career length.
same balanced identity • avg SRS within 0.3
Avg SRS 10.7 • Peak SRS 27.8 • 18 seasons
Best finish #2 • Volatility 13.5
Open profile →same balanced identity • avg SRS within 1.4
Avg SRS 9.6 • Peak SRS 23.2 • 17 seasons
Best finish Unranked • Volatility 9.2
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Best finish Unranked • Volatility 10.2
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Avg SRS 11.1 • Peak SRS 28.4 • 19 seasons
Best finish #1 • Volatility 11.7
Open profile →same balanced identity • avg SRS within 0.4
Avg SRS 11.4 • Peak SRS 36.4 • 29 seasons
Best finish Unranked • Volatility 9.8
Open profile →same balanced identity • career span within 0 years
Avg SRS 7.4 • Peak SRS 23.8 • 36 seasons
Best finish #5 • Volatility 9.4
Open profile →