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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 690
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WHEREAS, In an exceptional career that spanned more than |
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four decades Lou Holtz distinguished himself as one of the top |
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coaches in college football; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of West Virginia and a graduate of East |
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Liverpool High School in Ohio, Lou Holtz earned a bachelor's |
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degree at Kent State University, where he was a linebacker for |
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two seasons before an injury ended his playing career; he began |
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coaching as an assistant for the Iowa Hawkeyes football team in |
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1960, and he later served in that role at the College of William |
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and Mary, the University of Connecticut, the University of South |
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Carolina, and Ohio State University; and |
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WHEREAS, His work as a head coach began in 1969 at William |
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and Mary; after directing the North Carolina State University |
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program from 1972 to 1975, he joined the NFL to helm the New York |
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Jets for the 1976 season; the following year, he returned to NCAA |
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football with the University of Arkansas, and he went on to coach |
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at the University of Minnesota before beginning his outstanding |
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11-year run at Notre Dame; he closed out his career with the South |
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Carolina Gamecocks from 1999 to 2004; and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Holtz compiled nearly 250 wins as a college |
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head coach, and at the time of his retirement, he was ranked third |
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in victories among active coaches and eighth in winning |
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percentage; he took teams to more than 20 NCAA bowl games, and he |
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reached the pinnacle of success in 1988, when the Fighting Irish |
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clinched the national championship after compiling a perfect |
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12-0 record; other highlights include winning conference titles |
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with the College of William and Mary in 1970, North Carolina |
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State in 1973, and Arkansas in 1979; today, he remains the only |
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college football coach to have ever piloted six different |
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programs to bowl games, to have won bowl games with five |
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different teams, or to have led four separate schools to Top 20 |
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finishes; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely revered for his contributions to the game, |
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Coach Holtz has been the recipient of a host of accolades; in both |
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1977 and 1988, he earned three prestigious honors: the Paul |
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"Bear" Bryant Award, the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, |
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and Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year Award; |
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moreover, he was presented with the 1972 Atlantic Coast |
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Conference Coach of the Year Award, the 1977 Walter Camp Coach of |
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the Year Award, and the 2000 Southeastern Conference Coach of the |
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Year Award; in recognition of his many achievements, he was |
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inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, The tremendous passion, leadership, and vision |
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that Lou Holtz brought to each of the football teams he guided |
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continues to inspire generations of athletes and football fans |
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alike, and his accomplishments are indeed deserving of special |
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recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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Legislature, hereby honor Lou Holtz for his exemplary career as a |
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coach and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for Coach Holtz as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas Senate. |
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Fallon |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 3, 2019. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |