Former AFPI

Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz 1937-2026

Remember. Every day, some ordinary person does something extraordinary. Today, it's your turn.

- Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz 1937-2026

Lou Holtz embodied the very best of America First: faith, discipline, love of country, and an unwavering belief in the dignity and potential of others.

As Chair of the Center for 1776 at AFPI and host of The Lou Holtz Show—AFPI's most popular podcast—Coach Holtz brought moral clarity, infectious conviction, and a lifetime of lived example to every conversation and every lesson. Across decades, he shaped thousands of players, colleagues, and families by what he achieved and how he lived, returning again and again to three enduring rules: do what is right, do it to the best of your ability, and show people you care.

America First values had no greater advocate—or living example—than Coach Holtz. His legacy will endure in every life he strengthened, every principle he defended, and every person he inspired.