Skip Holtz enters his ninth year as the head coach at Louisiana Tech after former Louisiana Tech University President Dr. Dan Reneau introduced him as the 33rd head football coach of the Bulldogs during a press conference on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 in the Jarrell Room of the Charles Wyly Athletic Center.

During his tenure, Holtz has built not just a winning program, but a consistent winning program as the Bulldogs have made seven straight bowl appearances, including a streak of six winning seasons and six bowl victories (2014-19). 

In 2020, Holtz oversaw a season unlike any before as the world was faced with the COVID-19 pandemic. During the season, Tech had four games canceled and one postponed to finish the season with a 5-5 overall mark. Holtz led Louisiana Tech to its seventh straight bowl appearance as the Bulldogs competed in the 2020 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Holtz guided defensive lineman Milton Williams to be named a third team All-American by Pro Football Focus, while linebacker Tyler Grubbs was named a freshman All-American by the FWAA, ESPN and 247Sports.com. In total, Holtz saw nine players earn first or second team all-Conference USA honors during the 2020 season and coached quarterback Luke Anthony to be named the 2020 C-USA Newcomer of the Year. Defensive lineman Eric Kendzior was named a Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Semi-Finalist, while kicker Jacob Barnes was a Lou Groza National Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Semifinalist. 

In 2019, Holtz guided LA Tech to a 10-win season which marked the first time since 1984 that the program produced double-digit victories. The 10th win came in the 2019 Walk On's Independence Bowl as the Bulldogs shut out the Miami Hurricanes, 14-0, in Shreveport. It was the first shutout in Independence Bowl history and the only shutout of the 2019 bowl season. With the victory, the Bulldogs became the only team in the nation to win six consecutive bowl games from 2014 to 2019 (tied for fifth longest in FBS history).

LA Tech won all six games at Joe Aillet Stadium as well, marking the first time since 1973 that the program produced an undefeated season of 6-0.  

In 2018, Holtz guided the Bulldogs to an 8-5 overall record and a 31-14 victory over Hawaii in the 2018 SoFi Hawaii Bowl.  This was followed by a 2017 season when the team closed out the regular season with two victories to become bowl eligible and then overpowered SMU, 51-10, in the inaugural DXL Frisco Bowl.

In 2016, Holtz earned Conference USA Coach of the Year honors after he guided the Bulldogs to yet another highly successful campaign as LA Tech finished the season with a 9-5 overall record, a Conference USA West Division title and a thrilling 48-45 victory over No. 25 Navy in the Lockhead Martin Armed Forces Bowl.  It marked the Bulldogs' first win over a Top 25 team since 2005.

The 2016 team had arguably the greatest offensive in school history, producing a program-record 620 total points and 7,206 total yards.  The Bulldogs averaged 44.3 points per game that year, the second most in FBS. Holtz led another potent offensive team in 2015 to a 9-4 record after dismantling Arkansas State, 47-28, in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. 

It was in his second season at the helm that the program started its winning streak as Holtz and the Bulldogs enjoyed a five-win improvement, going 9-5 and taking the Conference USA West Division title in the program's second year as a member of the league. The season was capped off with a 35-18 win over Big Ten opponent Illinois in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

In 2014, Holtz engineered an offense that was ranked fourth most improved with an average of 37.4 points per game, while Louisiana Tech was the national leader in points off of turnovers on the defensive side of the ball.

In his first season, Holtz inherited a team that lost 35 seniors with seven being invited to NFL camps (two through the NFL Draft) and brought together the team as it entered a new conference (Conference USA) under a new President and new Athletics Director, going 4-8.

In his eight years at LA Tech, Holtz has amassed 61 victories as head coach which is the third most in program history and he is one win shy of his 150th career victory as a head coach. He has had 13 players selected in the NFL Draft, the most in C-USA.  Among them are defensive tackle Vernon Butler who was selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers with the 30th overall selection as well as defensive tackle Milton Williams who was selected with the 73rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Holtz has coached seven All-Americans and 57 All-Conference USA selections (first or second team) while having eight players garner specialty awards -- Cody Sokol (2014 C-USA Newcomer of the Year), Jeff Driskel (2015 C-USA Newcomer of the Year), Ryan Higgins (2016 C-USA Most Valuable Player), Carlos Henderson (2016 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year), Teddy Veal (2017 C-USA Newcomer of the Year), Jaylon Ferguson (2018 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year),  J'Mar Smith (2019 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year) and Luke Anthony (2020 C-USA Newcomer of the Year).

Holtz had spent the past three seasons as the head football coach at the University of South Florida. He also served as the head coach at the University of Connecticut and East Carolina University where he won back-to-back Conference USA titles with the Pirates in 2008 and 2009. He also led his teams to five consecutive post-season bowl games between 2006 and 2010.

Holtz has participated in 22 postseason games in his coaching career, including 14 as a head coach and eight as an assistant coach. Of the 14 games as head coach, 12 occurred in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and two occurred in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

In his first season at South Florida, Holtz promptly led the Bulls to their fifth consecutive eight-win season, making them one of just 15 teams nationally that had won at least eight games during that time span and one of only 10 teams in BCS leagues to accomplish the feat. In addition, USF played in its sixth consecutive bowl game, a 31-26 victory over Clemson in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. At the time, USF was one of just six programs nationally that had reached postseason play in each year as a BCS league member. In addition, with the victory, USF was one of just four programs that had won three consecutive bowl games.

In 2010, USF accomplished numerous firsts under Holtz. The Bulls won at Cincinnati and at Louisville for the first time in program history and beat Rutgers in Tampa for the first time. In addition, USF traveled to Miami and defeated the Hurricanes in an overtime thriller, 23-20, marking the Bulls first win over Miami in program history.

The 2011 season showed major improvement on the field, if not in the record, as USF finished 5-7 thanks to numerous heartbreaking defeats. After starting 4-0, including a huge win at Notre Dame to open the season, the Bulls dropped six of their final seven games by a combined 28 points or 4.7 points per game. Included in those six losses were four 3-point defeats, three of which came on the final play of the game. USF was the only team in the nation that lost three games at the final gun.

Looking passed the wins and losses, the Bulls improved in virtually every statistical category, especially on offense. USF improved its national ranking in total offense 75 spots from 2010 to 2011, the largest jump of any school in the country. The biggest improvement came in the passing game, where USF improved by 85 yards per game. Only two teams saw a greater jump in the passing offense national rankings. In addition, the Bulls improved 39 spots in rushing offense. Defensively, the Bulls finished second nationally in TFL and fourth in sacks and in the top 40 in run defense, total defense and scoring defense.

Holtz went to USF after five seasons at East Carolina, where he won back-to-back Conference USA Championships in 2008 and `09 and finished with a 38-27 record. Holtz also spent five years as head coach at Connecticut, where he amassed a 34-23 record.

Holtz led ECU to unprecedented heights, including four-straight winning seasons, a quartet of bowl game appearances and the back-to-back league crowns. A once-proud program, Holtz quickly revived the Pirates, which had stumbled to record just three wins in a 25-game period in the two-plus seasons prior to his arrival in 2005.

He promptly instilled a sense of pride, commitment, character and discipline into a Pirate team that went on to reward its loyal and passionate fan base with the school's first-ever run of four consecutive bowl invitations and the program's first four-year streak of winning seasons since the 1970s.

The drastic turnaround at ECU, which included a 7-6 finish in 2006, an 8-5 ledger in 2007, a 9-5 mark in 2008 and another nine-win campaign in 2009, coincided with dramatic school-record attendance increases at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

While the initial success in 2005 relied heavily on a wide-open offensive assault, it was a no-nonsense and fundamentally-sound defensive effort that launched the Pirates back into college football's competitive arena a year later.

Holtz followed by using a combination of both in 2007, offering a well-balanced offense and a run-stopping, ball-hawking defense to lead East Carolina to its highest Conference USA win total in school history at that time. The Pirates ended up just one victory shy of earning a berth in the league championship game, despite playing one of the toughest schedules in program history, which was loaded with four Bowl Championship Series members.

In addition to guiding ECU to its first postseason win since 2000 with a 41-38 victory over No. 24 Boise State in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, Holtz fine-tuned the efforts of running back Chris Johnson, who was college football's national statistical champion in all-purpose yards. Johnson also became the program's second first-round draft choice (first since 1992) when the Tennessee Titans selected him with their initial pick in April, 2008. Johnson went on to be named the 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2008, Holtz' Pirates earned a spot in the Conference USA Championship game. ECU defeated Tulsa to claim the program's first conference title in 32 years, earning a bid to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. During that season, Holtz led the Pirates to a No. 14 ranking in the polls and victories over No. 17 Virginia Tech and No. 8 West Virginia.

Holtz continued his success at East Carolina in 2009, leading the Pirates to a second consecutive Conference USA Championship. They became the first team in C-USA Championship game history to post consecutive victories.

Prior to his time in Greenville, Holtz spent six seasons at South Carolina. He wore several hats during his tenure with the Gamecocks, coaching the quarterbacks his first four seasons, before handling the tight ends in 2003 and then returning to guide the signal-callers in `04. He displayed his all-around abilities as a coach in working closely with the Gamecock offense in addition to handling a variety of duties as assistant head coach under his father, the legendary Lou Holtz.

While at South Carolina, Holtz was recognized as an Assistant Coach-of-the-Year in 2001 by the All-American Football Foundation. That year, the Gamecocks ranked second in the Southeastern Conference in rushing offense, and under Holtz's tutelage, senior Phil Petty went on to lead South Carolina to 17 victories in his last 23 starts, including back-to-back Outback Bowl wins over Ohio State in 2001 (24-7) and `02 (31-28).

Holtz went to South Carolina after a successful five-year stint as head coach at fellow BIG EAST school, Connecticut. While at UConn, he led the Huskies to their best season in school history, up to that point, in 1998 and was recognized as one of the top young coaching talents in the country.

Holtz has been credited for developing high-powered and prolific offenses throughout his coaching career. During his last season at Connecticut, he led the Huskies to a then-school-record 10 victories and an appearance in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. His team ranked 11th nationally in scoring offense and averaged nearly 36 points per game.

During his five-year tenure as head coach at UConn, Holtz guided the Huskies' program to national top 25 rankings the last four seasons and unprecedented success in the school's 100-year football history, which provided a firm foundation for the school's eventual move to the FBS level in 2002.

The success Holtz earned on the field at Connecticut during his first head coaching tenure was matched by his involvement in the community as a successful speaker, clinician and humanitarian - often donating his time and effort to many charitable and educational organizations. He served as the honorary chairman for Camp Courant in Hartford for four consecutive years, helping fund-raising efforts to send more than 1,000 under-privileged area children to recreational and educational camps during the summer. Holtz was also actively involved with the American Diabetes Association, serving as an honorary chairman and member of the Board of Trustees for two years.

Holtz was honored in 1996 with the National Football Foundation Man-of-the-Year Award and was a member of the Foundation's ethics committee. He was also the recipient of the Franciscan Life Center's St. Francis Award in 1995, an honor given for his dedication and support of Christian values and outstanding athletic achievements.

Prior to taking the head coaching job at UConn, Holtz worked on the offensive staff under his father at Notre Dame. He spent four years at Notre Dame and served as the Fighting Irish's offensive coordinator during the 1992 and `93 seasons.

During those years, Holtz was in charge of one of the country's most potent offensive attacks - a period in which the Irish compiled a 21-2-1 record. The 1992 Notre Dame offense ranked third nationally in total offense, averaging better than 470 yards per game. The 1993 Irish offense, despite the loss of All-America running backs Jerome Bettis and Reggie Brooks, ended the season ranked No. 9 in scoring offense (36.6 points per game). During Holtz's two seasons as offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, the Irish offense averaged nearly 37 points per game.

Holtz has also served on the coaching staffs at Florida State and Colorado State. While serving on Bobby Bowden's FSU staff in 1987 and `88, the Seminoles rolled to a 22-2 record, captured the Sugar and Fiesta Bowl titles and earned a No. 2 and No. 3 national rank, respectively.

In all, he has been involved in eight New Year's Day bowl games during his coaching career. Prior to his stint at South Carolina, the overall record of teams he had been associated with as an assistant coach was an impressive 67-15-2.

Born March 12, 1964, in Willimantic, Connecticut, Louis "Skip" Holtz spent the first two years of his life in Connecticut, while his father served as the top football assistant on the Huskies' staff from 1964-65. He was a prep quarterback at Fayetteville (Ark.) High School, while his father was the head coach at the University of Arkansas.

He attended Holy Cross Junior College in South Bend, Ind., for two years before transferring to Notre Dame in 1984. Holtz earned his bachelor's degree in business management in 1986 and was a football letterwinner for the Irish that same year, appearing in all 11 games as a special teams member and backup flanker.

Skip and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of three children: Louis Leo (Trey) Holtz III (currently on staff as the inside receivers coach), Chad Fitzgerald Holtz and Hailey Elizabeth Holtz.

Coaching Experience
Years	School	Position
1987-88	Florida State	Graduate Assistant Coach
1989	Colorado State	Wide Receivers
1990-91	Notre Dame	Wide Receivers
1992-93	Notre Dame	Offensive Coordinator
1994-98	Connecticut	Head Coach
1999-2003	South Carolina	Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
2004	South Carolina	Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks
2005-09	East Carolina	Head Coach
2010-12	South Florida	Head Coach
2013-Present	Louisiana Tech	Head Coach

Bowl / Postseason Experience
Year	Bowl/Post-Season Round	Final Score
1988	Fiesta Bowl	Florida State 31, Nebraska 28 (No. 2 final national rank)
1989	Sugar Bowl	Florida State 13, Auburn 7 (No. 3 final national rank)
1991	Orange Bowl	Colorado 10, Notre Dame 9 (No. 6 final national rank)
1992	Sugar Bowl	Notre Dame 39, Florida 28 (No. 13 final national rank)
1993	Cotton Bowl	Notre Dame 28, Texas A&M 3 (No. 4 final national rank)
1994	Cotton Bowl	Notre Dame 24, Texas A&M 21 (No. 2 final national rank)
1998	NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs	UConn 42, Hampton 34; Georgia Southern 52, UConn 30
2001	Outback Bowl	South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7 (No. 19 final national rank)
2002	Outback Bowl	South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28 (No. 13 final national rank)
2006	PapaJohns.com Bowl	South Florida 24, East Carolina 7
2007	Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl	East Carolina 41, Boise State 38
2008	AutoZone Liberty Bowl	Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19
2009	AutoZone Liberty Bowl	Arkansas 20, East Carolina 17 [OT]
2010	Meineke Car Care Bowl	South Florida 31, Clemson 26
2014	Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl	Louisiana Tech 35, Illinois 18
2015	R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl	Louisiana Tech 47, Arkansas State 28
2016	Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl	Louisiana Tech 48, Navy 45
2017	DXL Frisco Bowl	Louisiana Tech 51, SMU 10
2018	SoFi Hawaii Bowl	Louisiana Tech 31, Hawaii 14
2019	Walk On's Independence Bowl	Louisiana Tech 14, Miami (Fla.) 0
2020	R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl	Georgia Southern 38, Louisiana Tech 3

Coaching Records
Years	School	Record (Pct.)/Years	Position
1987-88	Florida State	22-2 (.917) / 2 Years	Graduate Assistant Coach
1989	Colorado State	5-5-1 (.500) / 1 Year	Assistant Coach
1990-93	Notre Dame	40-8-1 (.827) / 4 Years	Assistant Coach
1994-98	Connecticut	34-23 (.596) / 5 Years	Head Coach
1999-2004	South Carolina	33-37 (.471) / 6 Years	Assistant Coach
2005-09	East Carolina	38-27 (.584) / 5 Years	Head Coach
2010-12	South Florida	16-21 (.432) / 3 Years	Head Coach
2013-Present	Louisiana Tech	61-41 (.598) / 8 Years	Head Coach
Totals	Head Coach	149-112 (.571) / 21 Years
	Assistant Coach	100-52-2 (.656) / 13 Years
	Collegiate Coach	249-164-2 (.602) / 34 Years

Playing Experience
Years	School	Years Lettered (Position)
1979-82	Fayetteville HS, Fayetteville, Ark.	4 (QB)
1986	Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.	1 (special teams/flanker)

Education
Years	School	Degree
1986	University of Notre Dame	B.S. in business management

Personal Information
Years	Years Lettered (Position)
Full Name:	Louis Leo "Skip" Holtz
Born:	March 12, 1964 at Willimantic, Conn.
Wife:	the former Jennifer Fitzgerald of Port Charlotte, Fla.
Children:	Louis Leo "Trey" Holtz, III; Chad Fitzgerald Holtz; Hailey Elizabeth Holtz