Lou Holtz a fraud? You decide.

By Peter Tannenbaum - Special to Football Rumor Mill

It’s interesting to see Lou Holtz out taking credit for his son Skip’s success. He plays the role of proud papa on ESPN and gives interview after interview.

Before the Skipper landed at USF, he told the Orlando Sentinel, “It would be great. We’d have the whole I-4 corridor covered,” said Holtz who lives in Orlando and whose son Kevin is a public defender in Daytona Beach. “I think Skip feels the same way I do.”

How do you think Skip really feels? The younger Holtz has been outstanding in two of his last three jobs. He won at Connecticut as a head coach. He won big at East Carolina.

Does anyone remember where he was a miserable failure? Let us refresh your memory. The elder Holtz demoted his son as offensive coordinator at South Carolina. He caved to the pressure. What did Skip do? He kept his mouth shut and eventually landed the head job at East Carolina – no thanks to Daddy Holtz.

It’s also interesting to note that the younger Holtz has yet to land a program on probation. His record was clean at both UConn and at East Carolina. What about Daddy? Well, that’s another story.

Much has been made of Lou Holtz leading six different programs to bowl games. Not as much, however, is made of him leaving four programs on probation.

Holtz was dismissed at Arkansas following a 6–5 campaign in 1983. What most forget is that he was shown the door due to looming NCAA sanctions and a commercial he did for right wing Senator Jesse Helms, who was leading the charge against the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Next up was Minnesota. Holtz left for Notre Dame after only two seasons but, the NCAA placed Minnesota on two years probation for 17 rule violations, two of which were committed by Holtz during his tenure.

The trend continued at Notre Dame. Following an investigation in 1999, the NCAA placed Notre Dame on two years probation for extra benefits provided by a representative of the university to football players and one incident of academic fraud. The NCAA found that Holtz and members of his staff learned of the violations but failed to make appropriate inquiry or to take prompt action, finding Holtz’s efforts “inadequate.”

After unceremoniously demoting his son at South Carolina, it seems Holtz had his mind on things other than NCAA rules. The NCAA imposed three years probation and reductions in two scholarships on South Carolina for ten admitted violations under Holtz, five of which were found to be major. The violations involved improper tutoring and off-season workouts (including supervised practices in summer), as well as a lack of institutional control.

So, there you have it… the real Lou Holtz.

Tim Brewster’s extension doesn’t include raise

Although Gophers football coach Tim Brewster has received a two-year contract extension, there is no salary increase, meaning the package remains worth $1 million annually. If Brewster were to get fired or leave before the deal is up in 2013, the buyout is less than the $400,000 per year he would have received or had to pay back in his original contract. – St. Paul Pioneer Press

Minnesota likely to extend Tim Brewster

Look for Minnesota football coach Tim Brewster’s contract extension to be for at least two years. More than 90 percent of the Gophers’ seniors graduated last year, and that counts for something. – St. Paul Pioneer Press

Tim Brewster Likely Done at Minnesota after 2010 Season

What would a successful 2010 Gophers season be to you? Answer: A Brewster win in a trophy game (0-9), a bowl game (0-2), a November conference game (0-9), or a win against a ranked opponent (0-8) would be a good start. I would also would like to see better use of timeouts, less mass confusion with the offensive hand signals, and not leading the conference in penalties for a third straight year. I don’t believe that significant strides will be made in those areas. In other words, 2010 could be it for Brewster. In looking at their schedule, they play nine bowl-eligible teams from this season. Even with three of their four toughest conference opponents at home, it seems like five wins maximum; therefore, no meaningless bowl invitation, less fans showing up at “The Bank,” and an uproar for a coaching change. His soon-to-be announced contract extension will mean nothing. I think that most recruits and their parents will see right through it. If Brewster’s buyout changes at all, it will do so only minimally. Thus, if boosters want to buy him out after next season, it can happen. – Star-Tribune

Kansas interested in Tim Brewster?

Another new name has surfaced relating to the Kansas football head coach opening: Minnesota coach Tim Brewster. Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi addressed speculation of Brewster being interested in the KU job with the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Tuesday, saying he “can’t guarantee” Brewster will return next season. Maturi said he had not been contacted by KU athletic director Lew Perkins, but that didn’t seem to surprise him. – Kansas City Star

Minnesota AD on Tim Brewster: “I expect him to be our football coach”

Unless Minnesota suffers another 55-0 loss to rival Iowa on Saturday, head coach Tim Brewster should return for a fourth season in 2010. Athletic director Joel Maturi told the Star Tribune that he expects Brewster to return next fall despite criticism of the team’s recent play. Brewster still has some work left to earn a contract extension that seemed very likely following the team’s 7-1 start last season, but he’ll likely get another crack at it with his own recruits occupying most of the key roles. “He’s our football coach, and I expect him to be our football coach,” Maturi told the Star Tribune. “There’s always issues there. You know me — I don’t like to be dishonest. And I don’t want to be [Alabama coach] Nick Saban and say ‘yes,’ and then two weeks later say ‘no.’ But I expect [Brewster] to be our football coach. … I think you’ve got two more games to decide that. I’m excited about the passion and the energy that he’s brought to this program. “We’ve beaten three bowl teams [Michigan State, Northwestern, Air Force], and every team that’s beat us is going to a bowl except Illinois. I want to see the whole season, and that’s the aspect. Everybody’s balancing on last week’s game [a 16-13 win against South Dakota State] and the Illinois game, the last two games, and that’s not fair.” – ESPN.com

Tim Brewster admonished for rules violation at Minnesota

Gophers football coach Tim Brewster received a letter of admonishment from athletic director Joel Maturi after the University of Minnesota reported three secondary rules violations to the NCAA, according to records obtained by the Star Tribune on Friday. Maturi’s letter to Brewster was dated Aug. 10. Three text messages from Brewster to prospective student-athletes in fall 2007 violated NCAA rules and resulted in the university’s report. The violations, according to Maturi, were minor. – Star-Tribune

Minnesota Could Dump Tim Brewster

University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi is forming the only opinion on Tim Brewster that really matters. He expressed numerous times during a recent interview that he has faith in Brewster. But he also indicated it’s not blind faith that’s judging Brewster in all areas, including Big Ten victories and classroom performance, during what could be a pivotal Year 3 of Brewster’s five-year deal. “When I do a thorough evaluation, which I do at the conclusion of every season for every sports team, I will ask, ‘What’s the best thing to do for the University of Minnesota?’” Maturi said. “We are 2-1. If we go 2-10, the odds of me extending [his contract] probably aren’t real good. If we go 10-2, the odds of me extending him might be better, provided everything else is OK, we don’t have major violations, we don’t have this, we don’t have that.” – Star Tribune

Minnesota AD Joel Maturi Upset with Gopher Fans

Minnesota Golden Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi was upset with many of the fans who left before the game was over, no doubt to try to beat the traffic. He felt that the home-field advantage and the noise were big in this game. He thought it was unfair to the Gophers to leave early. And it was especially a big advantage when Cal was going toward the student section, where the noise made it very difficult for the visiting quarterback to change the play. – Star Tribune

Minnesota Golden Gophers want football date with Notre Dame

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said if Notre Dame decides to drop Purdue, Michigan or Michigan State off its football schedule in the future, the Irish might have an opening to play the Gophers. Maturi said he has been talking to Notre Dame about a game and is confident it will happen in the future. He tried hard to get Notre Dame to be the opening opponent for the Gophers in new TCF Bank Stadium. – Star Tribune

Next Page »