Skip Holtz: A deal was in place for him to become South Carolina head football coach
Skip Holtz said Thursday that an agreement was in place for him to replace his father Lou Holtz as South Carolina football coach, but that a decision was made by USC to go in a different direction.
Instead of Skip Holtz, Steve Spurrier was named Gamecocks head coach at the end of the 2004 season.
“A decision was made, and I had to deal with it,” Holtz said in a conference call with reporters. “I don’t look back with a lot of regrets and ‘what ifs.’ ”
Holtz will be making his first return to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday when he brings his Louisiana Tech team to face the Gamecocks at 3:30 p.m.
Lou Holtz said in his autobiography, “Wins, Losses and Lessons” that then-USC athletics director Mike McGee persuaded him to stay after his second Outback Bowl victory against Ohio State after the 2001 season, and McGee and other school officials later reneged on the promise to hire Skip Holtz.
“This hurt me deeply,” Lou Holtz wrote of the failed succession plan, “because Skip and I had been misled.”
On other topics, Skip Holtz recalled when his father took over play-calling duties from him after a losing record in the 2003 season.
“Things were not going well,” Holtz said. “Dad had been involved in offense all of his life ... at William and Mary, N.C. State, Arkansas, Notre Dame. I think he did it as much for his own sanity rather than it was him kicking me out the door.
“It was a very difficult time for everybody, but we all had to buy in.”
Skip Holtz said he had many fond memories of his time at USC and had praise for Gamecocks fans.
“I remember our first year – the 0-11 year,” Holtz said. “I think we were like 0-8 and Vandy was 1-7, but there still was a fanny in very seat at Williams-Brice Stadium. Gamecocks fans are unbelievably loyal and passionate.”
Holtz joined his father’s USC staff as offensive coordinator in 1999 after winning 10 games the previous year at UConn.
“My wife told me it was not a good career move to go from being a head coach to an assistant,” Holtz said. “But she asked me if I was going to regret not doing it in 20 years, and I said yes.”
He said it gave their children a chance to be around their “Nanny and Pappy” for five years.
Holtz also had praise for USC coach Will Muschamp. “He’s an excellent coach. I have not worked with him personally, but people I know who have been around him rant and rave about his drive, passion and purpose.”
This story was originally published September 21, 2017 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Skip Holtz: A deal was in place for him to become South Carolina head football coach."