Arizona Wildcats and Tucson lose a Great Friend & Alumnus
The Arizona Wildcats football community lost a close friend and alumnus as former Wildcat Julius Holt tragically passed away.
Last week was a rough one for Arizona Football fans. I saw some sad news, as Julius Holt, a mainstay of the Arizona Wildcats’ defensive line back in the early 80s, passed away at the age of 60.
Holt was a starting defensive tackle beside Joe Drake for two years at the UofA, helping Larry Smith’s premier defense in conquering No. 1 USC, No. 9 Notre Dame, and, best of all, knocking then No. 6 ASU out of the Rose Bowl in 1982.
I used to see Julius occasionally at my mom’s house on the weekends, especially during the off-season. He would be there with Ricky or Lamonte Hunley, or another of the Cats’ football players. My mom, a rabid Arizona fan, used to cook big meals for the football and basketball team visitors she would invariably have. It seemed as if they were always hungry.
Julius was a gregarious, friendly soul who smiled easily and was always polite. After his playing days as a 6’1” 260-pound defensive tackle, he stayed in Tucson and became a solid and productive citizen in his adopted city. He graduated and eventually went back to school and got his master’s degree at the UofA in 2005.
Among his many duties in the Tucson region, he served for almost twenty years with Tucson Youth Football and Spirit Federation Football, eventually even as president. In the 90s, he was hired by the UofA to work with the CATS program as an academic counselor, helping many athletes at Arizona, even one named Aida Barnes.
Previous to that, he had worked as a Child Protective Services caseworker, and also at group homes, helping Tucson’s disadvantaged kids, a job very dear to his heart. Among many jobs, he worked as a guidance counselor at Catalina High School and also for the Tucson Urban Center counseling at-risk teens. Julius lost both his parents in the same year when he was ten.
Julius Holt was a much-beloved figure in the Tucson scene; much more than a good football player at his alma mater, he embraced the city, contributing to the well-being of Tucson and the UofA community in many many ways. He will be sorely missed!
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