In college football, everyone matters. Not just the players who take the field or the coaches making the strategies, but the people behind the scenes who make this game what it is. And for the Arkansas Razorbacks, a late reporter was one of those people. He wasn’t just covering Arkansas Sports for 43 years; he was living them. With his notepad in hand, he showed up year after year and game after game, which earned him the title of the voice of the SEC program.
That’s why when word broke in December last year that the longtime reporter had passed away at 65, it sent shockwaves through the SEC community, where he’d become a familiar face. He collapsed while covering an Arkansas football game. He was rushed to the hospital, but couldn’t hold up longer and died from cardiac arrest. However, it seems that the wounds have still not healed up. The only comfort in the heartbreak was that the widely celebrated reporter, Bob Holt, spent his final moments doing what he loved most: reporting from the sidelines of an SEC football game, immersed in the passion and energy that defined his career.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey recently took to his X account and tweeted a heartfelt post in memory of Bob Holt. “Since we last gathered, we lost Bob Holt from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Bob was often among the first to ask a question each year at this event, and he had a way of asking a question with a smile. That smile did not mean the question was going to be easy, but Bob had a great demeanor, and we have held open his usual seat this week to honor his memory.” A simple tweet, but those words carry true emotions.
“Since we last gathered, we lost Bob Holt from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Bob was often among the first to ask a question each year at this event, and he had a way of asking a question with a smile. That smile did not mean the question was going to be easy, but Bob had a…
— Greg Sankey (@GregSankey) July 14, 2025
Sankey’s words show Holt’s impact, not just in Arkansas but across the entire SEC community, and it wasn’t just about a media seat. Players in college football have to face tough questions, but it was Holt who brought warmth and sincerity that was recognized by everyone. His manner never made the athletes and coaches feel like they were cornered; instead, it used to make them feel respected.
Bob Holt began his career at the Democrat-Gazette in 1981, right after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism. Over the years, he not only became a reporter but also became the voice of Arkansas sports. Holt was a Heisman Trophy voter, serving as Arkansas’s coordinator for the award. He was also rightfully inducted into the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 2022. So, it wasn’t just about a media seat; his absence was truly felt this year at SEC Media Days.
Bob Holt: The reporter who showed others how it’s done
Holt was the one who changed the style of reporting in the college football world. There were so many other reporters who often got to learn a lot from a personality like him. Veteran Fayetteville Flyer reporter Terry J. Wood is one of those reporters who came out in from and shared his own heartfelt tribute, recalling the impact Bob Holt had on his career.
“As a young reporter, I learned how to cover a beat by observing and attempting to compete with reporters like Bob, Nate Allen, Stephen Caldwell, and Bob Stephens,” Wood said. “I was lucky enough to work under Dudley Dawson, Bennett Horne, and Steve Rogers, who were great influences, too,” he added.
Wood also mentioned that Holt was the kind of guy who was used to the ‘dirty work’ in press conferences, which used to help other reporters as well. He was the one making sure that no question went unasked. “He made sure all the bases were covered, even if it sometimes frustrated some of his colleagues and the coaches,” Wood said.
In a profession where the pressure to chase headlines often overshadows the pursuit of truth, Holt remained committed to the fundamentals: asking tough questions, following up with purpose, and showing up every day with the same passion.
His presence will be deeply missed in every press room, every beat, and by every colleague who learned something by simply watching him work. College football lost a quiet force who shaped the way the game was covered.
The post Greg Sankey Does the Unthinkable in Tribute to Late Reporter as SEC Commissioner Turns Emotional During Media Days appeared first on EssentiallySports.