WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The William & Mary football program will honor legendary former Tribe head coach Lou Holtz during its home opener against Delaware State at Zable Stadium on Sept. 5.
 
A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Holtz's first head coaching job was at W&M from 1969-71 and helped launch an incredible career that included stints at NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota , Notre Dame and South Carolina – as well as a season in the NFL with the New York Jets. Prior to becoming the Tribe's head coach, he served a three-year stint as an assistant with the program from 1961-63. 
 
One of the greatest coaches in college football history, Holtz was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020. 
 
The tribute will be a centerpiece of an exciting weekend surrounding the Tribe's season opener, as W&M welcomes fans back to Zable Stadium to celebrate Holtz and the beginning of a new football season. During an on-field presentation, Holtz's son, Skip, and wife, Jennifer, will join W&M Athletic Director Brian Mann and former Head Coach Jimmy Laycock in honoring his legacy. The first 1,000 W&M students through the gates will receive a free green Lou Holtz T-shirt as part of the Tribe's season-opening Green Game, while the team will wear special helmet decals commemorating the legendary head coach. Together, the weekend's festivities will celebrate not only the remarkable career of Lou Holtz, but also the special connection between one of college football's most iconic coaches and the place where his head coaching journey began.
 
Tickets, including Green & Gold Tribe Passes, are now on sale at TribeAthletics.com.

The 2026 campaign will mark the beginning of a new era in W&M's storied history, as the Tribe embarks upon its inaugural season in the Patriot League and will square off against all nine league opponents. Five of those conference matchups will be played in Williamsburg.
 
W&M enters the fall having posted five consecutive winning seasons, marking the program's longest stretch of winning ledgers since the 1990s.

The Tribe's 2026 schedule, which opens with a conference game at Villanova on Friday, Aug. 28, is available at TribeAthletics.com.