Lou Holtz, the  Hall of Fame college football coach who lead the Golden Gophers for two seasons in the 1980’s, could be making a run for Congress in Florida.

The Orlando Sentinel reported on Monday that Holtz, 72, is considering a House of Representatives run in Florida’s 24th Congressional District, a seat currently held by Democrat Suzanne Kosmas. Republicans in the area told the paper that he might have a shot, too. 

Source: LA Times

"You put him in the ring and it’s all but over," Orlando-based Republican consultant John Dowless told the paper. "He’s on TV, he’s likable, the name ID is huge and people respect him enormously."

Holtz is currently an ESPN college football analyst.

Between 1984 and 1985, Holtz lead the Gophers to a 11-12 record before leaving for Notre Dame where he would coach for 10 seasons.

Sports blog Deadspin.com notes that while he was with the team, Holtz said he would not wander into politics:

"In a conversation with Gov. Rudy Perpich broadcast by WCCO-AM in Minneapolis, Holtz told the Democratic governor, ‘I’ll assure you this, I will have nothing to do with politics.’

‘I understand the governor (Perpich) is a Democrat and he’s definitely popular and I’m not a Democrat,’ Holtz said. ‘I’m probably a Republican, but I’m sure the governor would agree that as a citizen we have the obligation to get involved in government and be heard.’

But Holtz said that as a public figure, he will ‘under no circumstances, get involved in controversial issues.’