Former Gamecocks head football coach Holtz to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

WASHINGTON (WIS) - College Football Hall of Famer Lou Holtz has taken home several accolades during his 33-year coaching career.

The former head coach at Notre Dame and South Carolina has been named the National Coach of the Year three times and won a national championship in 1988 with the Fighting Irish.

Pretty soon, Holtz will be bringing home another prestigious accolade.

During Friday’s press briefing, President Donald Trump announced Lou Holtz will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The honor is the highest civilian honor given to an individual who has “made an exceptional contribution to the security or national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors,” according to the White House website.

“We’ve looked at Lou’s life and his career and what he’s done for charity and, in football obviously, he was a great coach,” Trump said, “but what he’s done beyond even coaching. So, Lou will be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

Trump noted that he received letters from Alabama’s Nick Saban, LSU’s Ed Orgeron, and former Ohio State and Florida head coach Urban Meyer among other college football coaches and political figures recommending Holtz for the award.

Trump said the administration is working to determine a date to hold the ceremony, but it “won’t be in the too distant future.”

Holtz coached the Gamecocks from 1999 to 2004.