For those of you who didn’t see or hear the press conference introcuding Nick Holt as Washington’s new defensive coordinator, well, let’s just say this guy will bring some passion to the defense. Oh, and you can watch a replay of it tonight on FSN at 7:30 and again at 10.
Holt spent about 25 minutes fielding questions from reporters, often talking about what an awesome opportunity Washington is, or what an awesome place this is, or how awesome the alumni are, etc.
He said he understands why people might think he’s nuts for leaving USC to come to Washington.
“So why did Nick Holt leave and come join this staff?” he said. “It’s really simple, it’s because you guys got a tremendous, tremendous football coach in coach Sarkisian, and I know it better than you guys because I’ve been around him for six years and had to practice against this guy. Fifteen days of spring football and 30 days in fall camp, and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday’s going against this guy—he is the best offensive mind in college football without a doubt, and I wanted to be a part of that. I knew he’d be a head coach someday and it’s very fortunate that the powers that be here at the University of Washington saw this guy, because he’s a rising star, and I wanted to be a part of that. This is an awesome place. This is the only other school in the Pac-10 that’s won a national championship in the last 25 years; this place and the University of Southern California. This place has awesome alumni, it has awesome tradition, it has awesome people like you, and this is a sleeping giant. I know coach Sark can get this done and he’s hiring the right guys and I wanted to be a part of that. So I’m so excited to be a part of that.”
Asked about what his defense might look like, Holt said the Huskies will use system simlar to the one he and Pete Carroll had at USC.
“Let me say this, the system that I was involved in with coach Carroll was an awesome system,” he said. “He is the best defensive mind in football. And we will continue to do what we’ve been doing and what I know and that is coach Carroll’s system… Our base package will be similar but we’ll add to it just like everybody does. But it is a great system and I learned it from the best and it will work here too.”
Asked about Washington’s defensive number last year, which included program worst totals of 38.6 points per game allowed and 451.8 yards per game allowed, holt said:
“We better improve. To answer your question, that’s not good enough. We need to get those numbers down to be successful in the Pac-10. There’s great offenses and Coach Sarkisian will do an awesome job, hopefully of keeping us off the field.
The bottom line is we can’t give up big, easy plays over our head, easy cheap touchdowns, stuff like that, and we have to get the ball back for these guys. So, create turnovers. That’s where it all starts. It really does. Effort, and we need to recruit, I said. That will take care of itself, but those numbers have to improve – obviously.”
Holt also said his defense will tackle in practice:
“Yeah, we get after it in practice and we want to make it a game like situations. I know coach Sarkisian has mentioned this before but we want to always go best against the best because we feel that is the best atmosphere to foster learning and creating a competitive football team, so we don’t wake up Saturday morning and, ‘Whoa, I’m not ready for this.’ We get after it in practice. We tackle in practice. Obviously not to the ground, but you’ll come and you’ll watch us. It won’t be pretty at first and it may take some time, but hopefully by the time all is said and done we can become a good practicing football team with a lot of competitiveness and energy. That is the starting point. We need to teach these guys how to practice, especially on defense. That is one of the first things we need to establish, especially on defense. Football is a physical game and you need to tackle, you’ve got to run to the football, play together, play with enthusiasm, and you got to practice that. It doesn’t just happen, it’s not a like a light switch that you turn it up on Saturday and expect to do that stuff – you have to practice that.”
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