Lou Holtz resigned today as expected and endorsed any one of his assistants as his successor.
He will personally announce his resignation at his 1 p.m. weekly news conference. The resignation takes effect after the season, Holtz's 11th at Notre Dame."I cannot honestly give you a reason for my resignation, except to say I feel it is the right thing to do," he said in a statement. "People will say there has to be more to it than this, but believe me, there isn't.
"I have no desire to become the all-time winningest coach at Notre Dame," he said. "The record belongs to Knute Rockne or some other coach in the future. I am comfortable leaving here with his record intact."
Despite rumors that Holtz quit so he could take another shot at the NFL, where he coached the New York Jets to a 3-10 record in 1976 before resigning with one game left, he said he has no immediate agenda. One scenario has him coaching the Minnesota Vikings if Dennis Green leaves.
"I have absolutely no plans for the future," he said. "What I will do in the future will be dependent upon the opportunities available to me. But at the present time I have no options, nor do I anticipate any."
Holtz, 59, also said he is in good health, as far as he knows. A frail-looking man, Holtz has had a series of health problems while at Notre Dame. He had emergency surgery last fall to relieve pressure on his spinal cord, a condition that could have caused paralysis if left untreated.
While he has no idea who will replace him, Holtz said he hopes it would be one of his assistants. Among the top contenders to take over college football's glamour job are Northwestern's Gary Barnett and Irish defensive coordinator Bob Davie.
Irish offensive coordinator Dave Roberts, the former coach at Northeast Louisiana, has made it clear he wants to return to head coaching.
"I hope it is one of my able assistants," Holtz said of his replacement. "If not, I hope the new coach will give serious consideration to retaining our assistant coaches, as they are a special group of people. Any school would be wise to consider them for any vacant head coaching positions presently open."
The Chicago Sun-Times, citing unidentified sources, reported Monday that Notre Dame wants Barnett to succeed Holtz and has agreed to talk with him. But Barnett said such talk was premature.
"I don't think you ever say never," he said Monday. "I don't know at this point in time. I would hope Northwestern wants me here. You never know."
Barnett refused to say if he'd been contacted about the job.
Others mentioned include LSU's Gerry DiNardo, former UCLA coach Terry Donahue and Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez.
Holtz's resignation ends nearly a week of speculation that he was leaving, which he did nothing to deny.
Though he will miss his players, staff and the rest of the university, Holtz said he feels he is leaving the program on solid footing.
"This will be a joyous day for many, emotional for a few, inconsequential to some - but to a small group (including me) this is a sad day - but I feel it is the right thing to do," he said. "I have prayed on my decision, so I will not question it."