The influence of legendary Lou Holtz on college football continues to be felt through the many players whose lives he shaped. One of those players is Tim Grunhard, who recently shared a heartfelt story about how a single phone call from Holtz changed the course of his life and career.
On March 6, football recruiting analyst Tom Lemming posted an old video clip on social media that humorously showed him being teased about his recruiting style and hype. While the clip circulated online, Grunhard used the moment to reflect on the coach who gave him his opportunity.
In a message shared on his social media account, Grunhard explained that without Holtz, he likely never would have played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He even joked that he might be the only Division I player in history who received a scholarship offer while working a closing shift at a Walgreens.
At the time, Grunhard was far from a highly recruited athlete. The son of a Chicago police officer, he was simply working a holiday shift at his local Walgreens store. Despite being a passionate fan of the Fighting Irish and dreaming of wearing their blue and gold uniform, he was largely overlooked as a football prospect. In fact, the previous Notre Dame head coach, Gerry Faust, had already decided not to recruit him because Grunhard didn’t fit the typical image of what they believed a college offensive lineman should look like.
Everything changed during that shift at Walgreens. As Grunhard was finishing his work, mopping the floor before closing, his manager approached him and said there was a phone call for him from someone claiming to be Coach Holtz. Naturally, Grunhard initially assumed it was a prank. At the time, Holtz was still coaching at the Minnesota Golden Gophers football before eventually taking over the Notre Dame program.
However, the call was genuine. Holtz offered him an opportunity to pursue his dream of playing for Notre Dame. For Grunhard, that phone call represented a life-changing moment and the beginning of a path he never thought possible.
When Grunhard finally arrived on campus in the summer of 1986, reality set in quickly. During the first team meeting, Holtz asked all the new recruits to stand up. While the players felt proud and excited to be part of the program, Holtz delivered a blunt statement meant to keep them grounded. He told them that if he had just one more month to recruit, none of them would have been there. Although harsh, the message served as motivation, particularly for Grunhard.
Determined to prove himself, he worked relentlessly and eventually became a four-year starter at Notre Dame. His performance earned him All-American recognition, and he played a major role on the team that went undefeated and won the national championship in 1988.
His success at the college level led to him being selected in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Grunhard went on to spend 11 seasons with the team and at one point started 120 consecutive games. What began as confusion on draft day—when he reportedly wondered where Kansas City even was—eventually turned into a long and celebrated career that culminated in his induction into the Chiefs Hall of Fame.
Grunhard is far from the only player whose life was influenced by Holtz. Several other notable athletes credit the coach for shaping their futures.
For example, Jerome Bettis rose from a young athlete in Detroit to one of the most successful running backs in NFL history. Holtz reportedly promised Bettis’s mother that he would care for him like family, and Bettis eventually became a Super Bowl champion and one of the league’s all-time leading rushers.
Another example is Chris Zorich, who grew up in a difficult environment without a father. Zorich has spoken openly about how Holtz’s guidance helped him find direction when he wasn’t sure where life would take him.
Even star players like Tim Brown have credited Holtz for transforming their mindset. When Holtz took over the Notre Dame program, it had been struggling to regain its former dominance. One of his early symbolic moves was removing players’ names from the backs of their jerseys to emphasize that the team’s identity was greater than any individual.
Holtz was also known for his hands-on coaching style. At one point, he even intentionally mishandled punts during practice to demonstrate proper catching techniques to Brown. His guiding philosophy was simple but powerful: do what is right, always give your best effort, and treat others with the same respect you expect.
Those principles helped restore the Notre Dame football program’s national prominence during Holtz’s tenure. Over his 10 seasons coaching in South Bend, he influenced countless players both on and off the field.
Today, the many athletes whose lives he shaped continue to honor the lasting legacy he left in college football and beyond.