Lou Holtz had a love hate relationship with the Aggies when he coached at Arkansas and Notre Dame
While Holtz often praised the atmosphere at Kyle Field, he was notoriously critical of the "Spirit of Aggieland" ritual where the entire Texas A&M team would line up on the field for the playing of the school song before kickoff
Holtz's primary issue was not with the song itself, but with the logistics and gamesmanship of the kickoff:
Holtz argued that having the entire opposing team standing on the field during the pre-game ceremonies was a form of intimidation and a violation of standard field etiquette.
He frequently complained that the Aggie players would linger on the field, which interfered with his own team's ability to finish their final warm-ups or take their positions for the start of the game.
He viewed the tradition as a way for Texas A&M to "claim" the entire field before the game even started, essentially forcing the visiting team to wait for the Aggies to clear out.
This frustration was most vocal during his time at Arkansas and Notre Dame.
* The 1988 Cotton Bowl: When Holtz led Notre Dame against Texas A&M, the pre-game "Spirit" was a major point of contention. Holtz reportedly expressed that the spectacle was designed to whip the crowd into a frenzy while physically obstructing the visiting team's pre-game flow.
During his tenure at Arkansas, Holtz often traded barbs with A&M fans and officials over what he perceived as the "excessive" nature of their home-field traditions, which he felt crossed the line from school spirit into tactical disruption.
In later years as an analyst, Holtz would often recount these stories with a mix of respect for the Aggie fans and lingering annoyance at the "chaos" of the pre-game timing.
