Former UA star D-lineman Louis Holmes dies at 38; remembered for big game, personality

Former Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Louis Holmes died on Tuesday. The cause of death remains undisclosed. Holmes was 38 years old.

Holmes played two seasons for the Wildcats in 2006 and ‘07 under then-coach Mike Stoops, who was “in disbelief” on Thursday upon hearing the news of Holmes’ passing.

“I’m saddened to hear that. He was a very talented player,” Stoops told the Star. “He did a great job for us. ... I don’t know what else to say. I’m kind of shocked by all of this.”

Holmes, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native who was among the top junior-college prospects nationally as a star defensive end at Scottsdale Community College, signed with the Wildcats over national powerhouse USC. In two seasons at Arizona, the former JC All-American totaled 73 tackles, 10.5 stops for losses and six sacks and was named a second-team All-Pac-10 selection during his junior season in ‘06.

When the 6-6, 260-pound edge rusher signed with the Wildcats, he became one of the most highly anticipated recruits at the UA under Stoops.

“’Dang it, this guy is going to take my job,’ “ Holmes’ former UA teammate, Ricky Elmore, recalled.

Elmore told the Star on Thursday that “Holmes was a superstar when he came in.”

“He had tons of hype, and Arizona rolled out the red carpet,” Elmore said. “I’ve always loved Louis. He had an infectious personality. He was tough to deal with sometimes, but you just loved the guy.

“I always had a good relationship with him, and I was a young guy, so I always kind of looked up to him. He always talked to me and never looked down on me. He never acted like he was better than me, so I always respected him for that. Maybe that’s why I liked him so much. I always had a good experience with him. ...

“It was cool to play behind Louis, because he had all the talent in the world. He was a big guy, had the size, had the speed and was very motivating for someone like me because I was a try-hard guy and always wanted to work to be like that. He was very inspiring and motivating, and his talent was fun to watch. It helped mold me to become a better football player.”

Tucson native and former UA defensive back Victor Yates vividly remembers how astonished he was by Holmes’ athleticism for a defensive end.

“When he came in, he was the No. 1-rated junior-college defensive end in the nation, and one thing that was so crazy was his first practice. He looked like a wide receiver while the rest of the D-linemen looked like O-linemen,” Yates said. “He was that much faster than the other guys.”

Holmes also stood out among the other UA football players because “he had a haircut that was so futuristic and ahead of its time,” Yates said.

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“It’s still crazy to think about it; he had mohawk-dreads. I haven’t seen it before, haven’t seen it since,” Yates said. “He had a commanding presence and was always good for a few jokes.”

One of Elmore’s fondest memories of Holmes was when “he showed up with a bag of tacos from Jack in the Box” for a study group.

“He was like. ‘I’m going to study with you guys,’ and he showed up two hours late and rolled up with a bunch of tacos. He was like ‘Oh, I got some tacos, want some?’ We had this study party set for 7 (p.m.) and he showed up at like 8:30 and was like, ‘I got all of you guys food!’ It was just funny,” Elmore said. “There was always something funny like that.”

Said Yates: “(Holmes) came off as a guy who was willing to share what he had with others. ... He was like, ‘Hey, I’m getting tacos, but so are ya’ll.’ That’s a cool attribute to think about when it comes to his legacy. He loved doing things his own way. That’s his entrepreneur mindset. He was just different, man. He didn’t beat the dream to the masses. He was crafty, resourceful and got things done in nontraditional methods.”

Holmes’ career at Arizona wasn’t unblemished: In August 2007, he was arrested on charges of criminal damage and disorderly conduct for a fight at a Scottsdale night club heading into his senior season.

After the ‘07 season, Holmes struggled to find success professionally. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad as an undrafted free agent before joining the UFL’s California Redwoods and the Arena Football League with the Spokane Shock and Los Angeles KISS in 2015.

According to Yates, Holmes spent his post-playing career “helping people gain financial literacy and become independent financially.”

On and off the field, Holmes was as original as they come.

“He was authentic,” Elmore said.

“There’s a lot of people who are fake, but Louis was Louis.”

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