Even if you have heard this story it’s worth retelling.

When South Carolina football coach Marvin Bass hired skinny little Lou Holtz as an assistant, Lou didn’t look much like the 300-pound guys he was coaching.

That didn’t deter Lou.

As a hands-on guy, Lou would get in their faces and show them how he wanted them to block and tackle.

Lou and Beth had just bought a house in Columbia. Their bank account was down to 4 figures: $47.27.

Beth was reading in the morning paper that Bass had been fired.

“Do you think that’s our Marvin?” Beth asked.

It was their Marvin.

“I’d better go in and see if I still have a job,” Lou said.

Coach Jim Carlin had flown in from Texas and taken over Marvin’s desk.

He called in all the assistants and gave them their marching orders.

“Gentlemen,” Carlin said, “I’m going to be watching you over the rest of the week. Some of you will go and some you will stay.

“My suggestion is that you work your tail off to make me want you to stay.”

Lou did just that. With $47.27 in the bank, he and Beth needed this job.

The coach’s favor

Days later Carlin asked Lou to come to this office.

“Boy,” Lou thought. “I’ve really impressed him.”

Carlin welcomed Lou and asked him to take a seat.

“Wow,” Lou thought, “He may even name me the new defensive coordinator.”

“Son,” Carlin said, “I’m going to do you a favor.”

“Wow,” Lou thought. “No other head coach has ever called me ‘son’.” “Son, I’ve watched you

“Son, I’ve watched you carefully and come to one conclusion,” Carlin said.

“This is it,” Lou thought. “He might even name me as his chief assistant coach.”

“Son,” Carlin said, “I’m convinced you have no future as a football coach. I’m going to let you go. A bright young man like you needs to find something else he can excel at in life.”

Lou was stunned.

Believe it or not, the College of William and Mary had a lackluster football record. They offered Lou the job as head coach.

Lou turned that program around. He went on to NC State, Arkansas and Minnesota. Notre Dame asked him to rescue the Fighting Irish and he turned the team into national champions.

Lou’s 2nd tenure at USC was not that successful. But no coaches had turned the Gamecocks into national championship contenders.

Lou, as you probably know, went on to a successful career as a broadcaster and best-selling author.

Now he is going to be nominated by President Trump for a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Carlin did Lou a favor. He lit a fire in the young coach that led to years of success in football.

Got a Lou Holtz story? Please write me at ChronicleSports@yahoo.com .