Lou Holtz (Longtime CFB HC, R.I.P.)

[BB73]

RIP, Lou. Thanks for your efforts as an assistant on the 1968 Buckeye National Champs.

But I’ll always remember that during your entire life span, the Buckeyes NEVER LOST TO NOTRE DAME.

 

[ScarletInMyVeins]

Glad someone did it before I could

Who's the tuff guy now Lou?

I actually loved the guy.

 

[Woody1968]

RIP Lou

 

[Jaxbuck]

Went his entire life without seeing Notre Dame beat Ohio State.

Shame.

RIP though, he was top shelf in his day.

 

[buckeyebri]

RIP Lou. You coached in the wrong years. You never would have all the NCAA issues you had in today’s game.

 

[CMic]

RIP
Woody’ll give him a talking to … get his priorities back in order.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Life is a cruel bitch

 

[Best Buckeye]

RIP Lou, you are and always will be one of my favorite people.

 

[DubCoffman62]

RIP Dr Lou

 

[Zurp]

I won't pretend I didn't make fun of the goofy things he said, or the way he mumbled when he said them. But the truth is that he said a lot of things way smarter than most of the other football talking heads. And I always forgave his love for Notre Dame. It showed he was human. Misguided, maybe, from my perspective. But still human.
RIP

 

[Bucklion]

Lou had issues, but who doesn't. A lot of people would run through a brick wall for the guy (Jerome Bettis had a very nice tweet tribute today) so he had to have done some things right. RIP, he was certainly one of those larger-than-life figures that impacted a lot of people.

 

[calibuck]

Was in the stands for the 1968 Rose Bowl. Didn't see it happening of course, but read later, when OJ ran for 80 yard TD, Woody grabbed Lou, and asked him how did OJ get 80? Lou responded, 'because that's all he needed'. Much faster than I have, and also read that Woody chuckled. He was a force in coaching. Also read that when he went to coach for a program, his contract read that he could be excused if the HC job became available, at ND or tOSU. So was very surprised when he ranted and railed against tOSU later in his life. Anyway, RIP Lou.

 

[Mike80]

 

[ScriptOhio]

Was in the stands for the 1968 Rose Bowl. Didn't see it happening of course, but read later, when OJ ran for 80 yard TD, Woody grabbed Lou, and asked him how did OJ get 80? Lou responded, 'because that's all he needed'. Much faster than I have, and also read that Woody chuckled. He was a force in coaching. Also read that when he went to coach for a program, his contract read that he could be excused if the HC job became available, at ND or tOSU. So was very surprised when he ranted and railed against tOSU later in his life. Anyway, RIP Lou.

Did Woody Hayes Really Say 'I Couldn't Go For Three'? | The-Ozone

With Ohio State up 50-14 against Michigan, they went for a two-point conversion. After the game, Woody Hayes said it was because, 'I couldn’t go for three.’

theozone.net

Did Woody Hayes Really Say ‘I Couldn’t Go For Three’?​

Woody and the "Because I Couldn't Go For Three" Myth — MVictors.com - Michigan Football History

The History and Culture of Michigan Football

mvictors.com

Woody and the “Because I Couldn’t Go For Three” Myth​

So where did the legend come from? Perhaps it was an assistant who said it at some point, or maybe it was a line delivered in a bust or speech to an alumni group. It’s not clear, but we do know Woody did not say it right after the game.

The Ohio State University Archives does not have a transcript of Hayes’ postgame interview from that day. That would conclusively settle the issue one way or the other, as would a film or audio recording of that interview.

Hayes certainly said those words at some point. It became an often-repeated story later in his life. One of his assistants from 1968, Lou Holtz, has told the story ad nauseum.

Just sayin':
1. Lou (for whatever reason) was more than willing to keep the quote "alive".

2. If Woody didn't actually say it, it does sound like something something Ohio State assistant coach Lou Holtz might have said.