The United Football League, or UFL, is wrapping up its inaugural season, as the Birmingham Stallions will face off against the San Antonio Brahmas this weekend in the first-ever UFL Championship.
The season was largely viewed as a success, and the star power on the sidelines was a major draw. Most football-loving folks are likely familiar with Arlington head coach Bob Stoops, San Antonio head coach Wade Phillips, and Birmingham head coach Skip Holtz.
With Holtz having a terrific year and leading his Stallions to the championship game, let’s delve into his career and impressive coaching resume.
Who Is Skip Holtz?
Fair or not, Holtz is likely best known as the son of legendary Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz. He almost assuredly chose to pursue a further education and walk on to the football team at Notre Dame thanks to the presence of his father. It seems safe to surmise his father also likely had a hand in his decision to pursue a career in coaching.
Skip will always be associated with his father. But given that Holtz has cobbled together a 30-year head coaching career of his own, it’s not far-fetched to say he’s emerged from his father’s shadow. Of course, it probably helps that he cut his teeth away from South Bend.
Holtz’s coaching career began as a grad assistant at Florida State under the legendary Bobby Bowden. After two seasons, he took the wide receivers coach job at Colorado State. Holtz spent a season there before the pull of coaching alongside his father at Notre Dame became too tempting to pass up.
Before being promoted to offensive coordinator, Holtz coached receivers in South Bend, Ind., for another two seasons. It seems prudent to mention that those two Notre Dame teams eclipsed the 40-point mark 10 times and notched a combined record of 21-2-1. The success of his offenses helped land Holtz his first head coaching job at the University of Connecticut.
Holtz enjoyed modest success at UConn, notching a record of 34-23 in five seasons. His Huskies qualified for the NCAA Division 1-AA tournament in his fifth and final season but got bounced in the quarterfinals. He took a brief hiatus at head skipping to serve as assistant head coach at the University of South Carolina for five years.
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He’d change directions, literally, in 2005 when he accepted a head coaching position at East Carolina. There, Holtz notched four winning seasons and just as many bowl appearances. He also earned two Conference USA championships.
His next stop wouldn’t be so successful, going 16-21 over three seasons with the Bulls of South Florida. However, Holtz did earn his second career bowl victory during that stretch.
After a career spent moving and shaking, Holtz’s next stop on his lengthy coaching tour, at the helm of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, saw him settle in for almost a decade. During his nine years in charge, Holtz spearheaded six winning seasons and just as many bowl victories. He earned a share of the Conference USA title in another three seasons as well.
His latest conquest has been more unique but no less successful. In fact, his run coaching Birmingham can be argued as his best work to date. Holtz and his Stallions are two-time USFL champions, winning the league’s ultimate prize in 2022 and 2023 — which just so happens to be as long as the short-lived revival lasted. This makes Holtz the one and only coach to capture a title in the USFL.
Not even the great Lou Holtz can claim that distinction.
Now, he’s hoping to win the inaugural UFL title this Sunday.