Dec. 4, 2008

I have asked Coach Holtz to allow me to address the continuing rumors about his interest in coaching positions that are currently open at other institutions.

First and foremost, there is no doubt in my mind about the fact that Coach Holtz' total focus is on doing everything possible to help his East Carolina team win its first ever C-USA Championship. He simply has not had the time or the inclination to consider any other coaching positions and any institutions that might want to ask for permission to speak with him have had the good manners and professional courtesy to refrain from doing so until our season has been completed.

Coach Skip Holtz, along with many of his family members, will be in New York (and so will I) to celebrate the induction of Coach Lou Holtz into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame. While we are in New York, I would expect Coach Skip Holtz to have contact with many good football people who will have their own personal opinions on his career options.

However, Coach Holtz does not have interviews scheduled with any institution during this time period and will not schedule any interviews for coaching positions while he is in New York. It is certainly possible that he will rub elbows with or even have a cup of coffee with athletic administrators who have coaching positions open at their institutions. We are in complete agreement that he has no reason to avoid such encounters.

Upon our return to Greenville, we will sit down to discuss whether or not he wishes to consider scheduling interviews concerning open coaching positions. If he indicates he wants to interview with another institution, I will wrap both hands around his throat and throttle him until he agrees to coach at East Carolina for the rest of his life. Well, at least that is what I would do if I thought it would work.

The truth is that no one could be more loyal to East Carolina University and his football players than Coach Holtz has been. The Pirate Nation has earned that loyalty and needs to continue to earn Coach Holtz' loyalty by making sure that he knows we care about his own future and career more than we care about simply winning football games.

The best way to earn undying loyalty is to encourage Coach Holtz to continually compare the job we are all doing with what he can expect from the fans and administration at other institutions. After all, we each compare him constantly to what the coaches of our competitors are doing so it is only healthy if it is a two-way street.

If Coach Holtz wishes to interview at other institutions, he will schedule the interview with my permission to do so. Coach Holtz and I will have no further comment. I firmly believe that Coach Holtz has earned the support of the Pirate Nation regardless of what his decision may be in this or any other year.