Notre Dame football Coach Lou Holtz, who...

Notre Dame football Coach Lou Holtz, who coached at the University of Minnesota in 1984 and ‘85, denied allegations that he ordered a Minnesota counselor to give $500 to a Gopher football player in 1985.

“I never, ever gave money to a student athlete in my time at the University of Minnesota or any other place,” Holtz said in response to a story in Thursday’s St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch, linking Holtz to the payment.

LeRoy Gardner, the University of Minnesota’s chief student counselor, told top university officials he gave $500 to a Gopher football player on orders from Holtz in 1985, the report said. The paper said the payment was reported by Gardner three weeks ago. Gardner has since resigned from the university.