Dec 4, 2004 2 min read

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) – East Carolina introduced former South Carolina assistant Skip Holtz as its head football coach on Friday, welcoming him as the man to lead the program “into a new era.” Holtz is the son of Lou Holtz, who retired last week at South Carolina, and was quarterbacks coach on his father’s staff. He was offensive coordinator through the 2003 season, when Lou Holtz took on that role.

When Steve Spurrier was hired as the Gamecocks’ new coach, he decided not to keep Skip Holtz as an assistant.

“We have great confidence in Skip to take over and lead our football program into a new era as its head coach,” athletic director Terry Holland said. “His background and enthusiasm make him a perfect fit for ECU, our community and the Pirate Nation.”

The 40-year-old Holtz is East Carolina’s 19th head football coach. He succeeds John Thompson, who went 3-20 in two seasons and resigned Nov. 17 after Holland told him he would be fired at the end of the season.

Holtz also served as the offensive coordinator under his father at Notre Dame. In 1994, Skip Holtz became the head coach at then-Division I-AA Connecticut and compiled a 34-23 record in five seasons, including a school-record 10 victories in 1998. He then resigned to rejoin Lou Holtz at South Carolina.