Former Kansas coach Mark Mangino shared a great story about the late Lou Holtz
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- Lou Holtz coached five other college programs and the NFL's New York Jets, dying at 89.
- Holtz led Notre Dame to 1988 national title & won bowls at Arkansas, NC St., S. Carolina.
- Mark Mangino recalled Holtz's witty 30‑minute call and his $100,000 recruiting warning.
Lou Holtz is best known for his time with the Notre Dame football team, but he also coached five other college programs and the New York Jets.
Holtz, who died Wednesday at the age of 89, led Notre Dame to the 1988 national championship. He also won bowl games at Arkansas, North Carolina State and South Carolina.
The Gamecocks twice won the Outback Bowl during Holtz’s tenure, which was from 1999 to 2004.
Holtz’s time as South Carolina’s coach overlapped the time when Mark Mangino was hired as Kansas’ head coach in 2002.
After learning of Holtz’s death, Mangino shared a funny story on social media.
“About a month after I took the (Kansas) job, I got a call from #LouHoltz,” Mangino wrote. “He was witty and gave me good advice. The call lasted 30 min.
“Before hanging up, he said the guy you interviewed for your WR position yesterday? Don’t waste your time. I offered him $100,000 more than u did!😂”
That’s a great story.
This story was originally published March 5, 2026 at 9:45 AM.
