Former Gamecocks coach Lou Holtz reacts to Phil Petty’s passing

The South Carolina football program lost one of its legends Thursday when former quarterback Phil Petty died at 43 years old.

News of his passing has led to an outpouring of love and mourning for the beloved Gamecock. A three-year starter at USC, Petty led the Gamecocks to back-to-back Outback Bowl wins over Ohio State after the 2000 and 2001 seasons, winning the MVP of the second bowl. He also finished as a finalist for the Johnny Unitas award as a senior — an honor given to the nation’s top quarterback.

Petty’s contributions weren’t limited to the football field. His former head coach at USC, hall of famer Lou Holtz, said Petty was an exceptional person off the field as well.

“I have a great memories of him,” Holtz told ABC Columbia’s Mike Gillespie. “He was a great player, but he was also a better teammate. Players come and go. Teammates last a lifetime. I would be proud to call him my son.”

Petty died after a brief illness, and a cause of death was not immediately known. Funeral arrangements were not known as of Thursday afternoon.

A native South Carolinian, Petty starred for Boiling Springs High School before signing to play with then-head coach Brad Scott in 1997. After redshirting his freshman year and serving as a backup in 1998, Petty took over as the starting quarterback for the new coach Holtz, who led the Gamecocks from 1999-2004.

Petty ranks seventh all-time among USC quarterbacks with 5,656 career passing yards.

“He lived his life in an exemplary way,” Holtz told ABC Columbia. “He cared about other people, and he truly was a fine teammate … it didn’t matter if you were first-team or third, he treated you exactly the same. He was just a positive influence wherever he went.”