Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz Had Three Rules for Living a Good Life

Following the news that Notre Dame football legend Lou Holtz had died at the age of 89, many are looking back on his remarkable life and the success he had both on the football field and off of it. In addition to leading Notre Dame to a national title, Holtz was also known for the three rules that he imparted on the world for living a good life.

In the wake of his death, many want to know what those rules were, and where he first imparted that particular bit of wisdom. Here's what we know.

Holtz's three rules were initially about football, but they also apply to life more generally. The rules are:

1. Do the right thing
2. Do the best you can
3. Show people you care

Those values dictated his coaching philosophy, but also speak to his core beliefs about what a person has to do to lead a good life. We may all fall short of those values sometimes, but they are the aspirations that he and his teams were always striving toward.

"He and his wife, Beth, are respected across campus for their generous hearts and commitment to carrying out Notre Dame's mission of being a force for good. On behalf of the Notre Dame football program, we send our love to Lou's family, friends and former players, wishing you all comfort and peace during this difficult time," current Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said in a statement, per ESPN.

Lou Holtz's political views were staunchly Republican throughout his entire public life. He was a frequent guest on Hannity on Fox News and endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2016. Holtz also spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention, and said that Democratic nominee Joe Biden was a "Catholic in name only," a claim that he felt he could credibly make because of his long tenure at Notre Dame.

Holtz was also vocally disapproving of Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel during the national anthem, and was part of the firestorm that ultimately got him tossed out of the league.

Holtz's values are clearly informed by his views about the world, and he was never shy about expressing political opinions, especially in the final 20 years of his life as politics became more divisive.

Holtz's family was the first to announce his cause of death and they have not yet provided a cause of death. At 89, he had started to recede from public life, but his family released a statement expressing pride in his lasting legacy.

"He was successful, but more important he was Significant," his son Skip said on social media.

Holtz's stature definitely speaks to the fact that he had a major impact outside of the relatively narrow world of college football. Even as he became a more openly political figure, his rules still have purchase with a huge swath of people across the country.