Torry Holt long ago established himself as a legend at NC State. On Dec. 10 in New York, he will be immortalized in college football history. That’s when Holt will become the sixth Wolfpacker to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Holt was home with his family when he received the news. In addition to the typical excitement and euphoria, there was a feeling of vindication.
“I texted [NC State assistant athletics director for communications] Annabelle [Myers], ‘It’s about damn time,'” Holt joked.
Football players have to wait at least three years after retirement from football to be eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame. Holt’s 11-year career in the NFL ended in 2009 — meaning Holt was first eligible in 2012.
But in a way the wait has helped Holt share the honor with more friends and fans thanks to the advancement of social media.
“As the young folks say, my Twitter feed is blowing up all morning,” Holt noted.
Holt’s credentials are well established and deserving. He was the ACC Player of the Year, a consensus All-American and eighth-place finisher for the Heisman Trophy in 1998 after catching 88 passes for a school-record 1,604 yards and 11 touchdowns. He still holds school records for career (3,379) and single-game receiving yards (255 vs. Baylor in 1998); career (31), season (16 in 1997) and single-game (five vs. FSU in 1997) touchdown receptions; and single-season all-purpose yards (1,979 in 1998).
“Some people want to be world-class doctors or world-class lawyers or big-time CEOs,” Holt stated. “For me it was being about one of the best athletes, one of the best players, to ever play the game.”
Holt continued his success in the NFL, becoming a seven-time Pro Bowler. He has been a semifinalist for the NFL Hall of Fame four straight years, and he feels that he is knocking on the door to being a finalist.
NC State did a lot to shape his professional career.
“We had to scratch and claw here,” Holt said of his time in Raleigh. “We had to battle and fight for every win we got. Some, we left it out on the field. It taught me grit. I had to work every single day. We weren’t a team that could just show up on Saturdays, flip the light on and go out and win. We had to work and study, grind and compete. We had to have the mindset to be winners here. I learned a lot.
“Even outside of the game of football, all the positive things that are going on around here in our community — all the great engineers and broadcasters we have that have come from this University. I learned a lot in my time at NC State in my college years, but I’m still around and still learning. I’m still connected to the school. I’m still leaning on the school for advice. I’m happy and proud to be part of such a good tradition here at NC State.”
Holt’s loyalty to NC State began early. He signed with the Pack, but had to spend a year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., to get his grades up first. In his prep year at Hargrave, powers from across the country, including Tennessee and Notre Dame, tried to persuade Holt to spurn NCSU.
But the Wolfpack coaches, including former head coach Mike O’Cain, had already won Holt over.
“He believed in me,” Holt noted of O’Cain before adding, “I knew this was the right place.”
Few memories of Holt stands out like his performance in 1998 against FSU. A year after catching a school-record five touchdown passes in Tallahassee, Holt had a 63-yard touchdown catch and 68-yard punt return for a score in a stunning 24-7 upset of No. 2 Florida State at home, handing the Seminoles just its second ACC loss since joining the league in 1991.
“To see the people leaving their homes to come to the Carter to be a part of the celebration and then Hillsborough Street,” Holt recalled. “I had heard stories about parents naming their kids after me and their dogs after me, which I don’t take too fondly of that, but it’s all good.
“It was just all kinds of emotions and all type of things were happening for folks because everyone was excited. When you are excited, you do some crazy things. I just remember the entire University, entire city and Wolfpack fans that weren’t in Raleigh, just being overwhelmed with joy with us beating Florida State that year.”
Holt now makes his home in Raleigh.
“This is where my roots are, this is where I’m comfortable,” Holt noted. “People treat me well here.”
He and brother Terrence Holt, a former All-American safety at NC State who also played in the NFL, run the Holt Brothers Foundation in honor of their mother, who passed away from cancer, and a successful construction company.
Holt also does analyst work for the NFL. Ten years ago this year he won a Super Bowl with the Rams in Atlanta. Ironically this year’s Super Bowl is also in Atlanta, and the top seed in the NFC is the Rams.
Holt, though, admitted he has a soft spot for the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Definitely pulling for Philip [Rivers],” Holt said, referring to the former Pack quarterback and another likely future College Football Hall of Famer.
It's once a Wolfpacker, always a Wolfpacker for Holt.
“[There's] a long list of NC State wide receivers and I’m part of that lineage,” Holt said. “I’m the first wide receiver from the school to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Mike Quick, Haywood Jeffires, Naz Worthen, Eddie Goines, who was a worker. I go back to the story where Eddie came back and he was working the receiver group, and it was one summer, and I just felt his passion, work ethic and energy for football. He was able to show me right away what it would take to succeed in college football. Big shout out to Eddie.
“I’m just happy to be part of that NC State lineage of great receivers and now one of us is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. It is pretty rewarding.”
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