Holtz was dismissed following a 6–5 campaign in 1983. At the time, Athletic Director
Frank Broyles stated that Holtz had resigned because he was "tired and burned out", and was not fired.
[7] Broyles testified 20 years later that he had fired Holtz because he was losing the fan base with things he said and did.
[8] Holtz confirmed that he had been fired, but that Broyles never gave him a reason,
[9] although reports cited his political involvement as a major reason:
controversy arose over his having taped two television advertisements from his coach's office endorsing the re-election of Jesse Helms as Senator from North Carolina at a time when Helms was leading the an effort to block Martin Luther King Day from becoming a national holiday.[10][11]