Spinal Surgery Will Sideline Holtz Notre Dame Coach Will Be Out At Least Three Weeks To Recover

Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz will have spinal surgery today and will be sidelined at least three weeks.

Defensive coordinator Bob Davie will coach the No. 24 Irish while Holtz is out.

“We kind of just all sat there in disbelief,” said offensive guard Ryan Leahy, of a team meeting Monday in which Holtz told his players.

The operation will take place at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where Holtz, 58, is expected to remain a week.

Holtz was told the condition required an immediate operation to avoid permanent spinal cord damage and possible paralysis.

“There’s no reason for the operation not to be totally successful,” Moriarity said at a news conference.

Moriarity said Holtz has what appears to be a bone growth that has compressed the spinal cord. Doctors believe the growth has been developing for some time and is not the result of an injury.

Surgeons will enlarge the diameter of the spinal canal so the cord will be able to fit.

Moriarity said Holtz has experienced weakness in the muscles of his legs and hands the past four weeks.

Holtz could miss as many as three games against current Top 25 teams. “In 26 years as a head coach, I’ve

never missed a practice, let alone a game,” Holtz said.