Nick Holt is in his third season as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He was hired Jan. 2, 2017.
In 2018, junior linebacker Markus Bailey paced Purdue with a career-high 115 total tackles, while sophomore linebacker Derrick Barnes ranked third with 92 stops. Barnes’ classmate, linebacker Cornel Jones, led the Boilermakers with 12.5 tackles for loss. Bailey earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, while Barnes was a honorable mention pick.
Holt made an immediate impact in his first season with the Boilermakers, helping to cut Purdue’s opponent scoring average by 17.7 points from the previous season (38.2 points per game in 2016 to 20.5 points per game in 2017). Linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley (97) and Bailey (89) topped the team in tackles, with Bentley wrapping up his Purdue career by garnering Foster Farms Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player honors against Arizona. Both standouts were named honorable mention All-Big Ten.
A veteran with 33 years of coaching experience, including two as a head coach and 18 as a defensive coordinator, Holt has coached in 17 bowl games, including seven BCS bowls. He was on the USC coaching staff that won the 2003 national championship and was a part of five Pac-10 title staffs.
Holt rejoined head coach Jeff Brohm’s staff at Purdue after leading Western Kentucky to a 51-31 victory over Memphis in the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl as interim head coach.
Prior to being elevated to the interim role, Holt served as the Hilltoppers’ associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2013 to 2016. Under Holt’s guidance, the Hilltoppers improved their scoring defense from 121st nationally in 2014 (39.9) to 41st in 2016 (24.6), their total defense from 120th (509.9) to 41st (376.6) and their rushing defense from 111th (220.8) to third (97.2) among FBS schools. In his first season at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers ranked 15th nationally in total defense (339.2) and 10th in passing defense (177.9).
Prior to joining the Western Kentucky staff, Holt spent three seasons (2009-11) at Washington as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. The Huskies played in the 2011 Alamo Bowl and the 2010 Holiday Bowl. In his first season, Washington cut its scoring defense by nearly 12 points per game and its total defense from 451.8 yards per game in 2008 to 389.5 in 2009. The Huskies finished second in the Pac-10 in passing defense in 2010, allowing 194.4 yards per game.
Holt had two stints at USC, serving three seasons as defensive coordinator and line coach (2006-08) and three seasons as linebackers coach (2001-03). During his six combined seasons with the Trojans, USC posted an overall record of 63-14, a Pac-10 record of 41-10, won the 2003 BCS national championship, four Rose Bowls (2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008) and one Orange Bowl (2002). With Holt as the coordinator, the 2006 Trojans finished the season ranked tied for ninth nationally in rushing defense (91.1), 11th in scoring defense (15.2) and 20th in total defense (295.8). In 2008, USC led the nation in scoring defense, allowing 9.0 points per game while holding eight opponents to seven points or less with three shutouts. The 2008 Trojans paced the NCAA in passing defense (134.3) total defense (221.8) and passing efficiency defense (85.75) while ranking second by allowing 221.8 yards of total offense per game, the lowest total by a Pac-10 team since 1971.
In between stints at USC, Holt was the head coach at Idaho during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, posting a 5-18 record. He previously served as the Vandals’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (1994-97) and defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator (1990-93). The Vandals made five appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs and had the No. 1-ranked rushing defense in 1994.
Holt also has served as the defensive line coach at Louisville (1998-2000) and as the inside linebackers coach (1988-89) and as a graduate assistant (1986-87) at UNLV. With the Cardinals, Holt developed a defensive line that finished second in the nation and broke the school record with 50 sacks. The 2000 team finished second nationally in rushing defense (79.9), went 9-3, won the Conference USA championship and played in the Liberty Bowl. Louisville also played in the 1998 Motor City Bowl and 1999 Humanitarian Bowl.
Holt has coached/recruited five conference defensive players of the year: Jeff Robinson (1992 Idaho, Big Sky), Ryan Phillips (1995 Idaho, Big Sky), Dwayne White (2001 Louisville, Conference USA), Sedrick Ellis (2006 USC, Pacific-10) and Xavius Boyd (2013 Western Kentucky, Sun Belt).
A native of San Jose, California, Holt was a four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain and Most Valuable Player as a linebacker at the University of the Pacific. He was named to the Associated Press All-West Coast team in 1984 and 1985 and an honorable mention All-American in 1985. He graduated in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in political economics.
Holt (born Oct. 15, 1962) and his wife, Julie, have two sons, Nick and Ben. Ben is a fifth-year senior linebacker at Purdue.
In 2018, junior linebacker Markus Bailey paced Purdue with a career-high 115 total tackles, while sophomore linebacker Derrick Barnes ranked third with 92 stops. Barnes’ classmate, linebacker Cornel Jones, led the Boilermakers with 12.5 tackles for loss. Bailey earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, while Barnes was a honorable mention pick.
Holt made an immediate impact in his first season with the Boilermakers, helping to cut Purdue’s opponent scoring average by 17.7 points from the previous season (38.2 points per game in 2016 to 20.5 points per game in 2017). Linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley (97) and Bailey (89) topped the team in tackles, with Bentley wrapping up his Purdue career by garnering Foster Farms Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player honors against Arizona. Both standouts were named honorable mention All-Big Ten.
A veteran with 33 years of coaching experience, including two as a head coach and 18 as a defensive coordinator, Holt has coached in 17 bowl games, including seven BCS bowls. He was on the USC coaching staff that won the 2003 national championship and was a part of five Pac-10 title staffs.
Holt rejoined head coach Jeff Brohm’s staff at Purdue after leading Western Kentucky to a 51-31 victory over Memphis in the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl as interim head coach.
Prior to being elevated to the interim role, Holt served as the Hilltoppers’ associate head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2013 to 2016. Under Holt’s guidance, the Hilltoppers improved their scoring defense from 121st nationally in 2014 (39.9) to 41st in 2016 (24.6), their total defense from 120th (509.9) to 41st (376.6) and their rushing defense from 111th (220.8) to third (97.2) among FBS schools. In his first season at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers ranked 15th nationally in total defense (339.2) and 10th in passing defense (177.9).
Prior to joining the Western Kentucky staff, Holt spent three seasons (2009-11) at Washington as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. The Huskies played in the 2011 Alamo Bowl and the 2010 Holiday Bowl. In his first season, Washington cut its scoring defense by nearly 12 points per game and its total defense from 451.8 yards per game in 2008 to 389.5 in 2009. The Huskies finished second in the Pac-10 in passing defense in 2010, allowing 194.4 yards per game.
Holt had two stints at USC, serving three seasons as defensive coordinator and line coach (2006-08) and three seasons as linebackers coach (2001-03). During his six combined seasons with the Trojans, USC posted an overall record of 63-14, a Pac-10 record of 41-10, won the 2003 BCS national championship, four Rose Bowls (2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008) and one Orange Bowl (2002). With Holt as the coordinator, the 2006 Trojans finished the season ranked tied for ninth nationally in rushing defense (91.1), 11th in scoring defense (15.2) and 20th in total defense (295.8). In 2008, USC led the nation in scoring defense, allowing 9.0 points per game while holding eight opponents to seven points or less with three shutouts. The 2008 Trojans paced the NCAA in passing defense (134.3) total defense (221.8) and passing efficiency defense (85.75) while ranking second by allowing 221.8 yards of total offense per game, the lowest total by a Pac-10 team since 1971.
In between stints at USC, Holt was the head coach at Idaho during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, posting a 5-18 record. He previously served as the Vandals’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (1994-97) and defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator (1990-93). The Vandals made five appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs and had the No. 1-ranked rushing defense in 1994.
Holt also has served as the defensive line coach at Louisville (1998-2000) and as the inside linebackers coach (1988-89) and as a graduate assistant (1986-87) at UNLV. With the Cardinals, Holt developed a defensive line that finished second in the nation and broke the school record with 50 sacks. The 2000 team finished second nationally in rushing defense (79.9), went 9-3, won the Conference USA championship and played in the Liberty Bowl. Louisville also played in the 1998 Motor City Bowl and 1999 Humanitarian Bowl.
Holt has coached/recruited five conference defensive players of the year: Jeff Robinson (1992 Idaho, Big Sky), Ryan Phillips (1995 Idaho, Big Sky), Dwayne White (2001 Louisville, Conference USA), Sedrick Ellis (2006 USC, Pacific-10) and Xavius Boyd (2013 Western Kentucky, Sun Belt).
A native of San Jose, California, Holt was a four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain and Most Valuable Player as a linebacker at the University of the Pacific. He was named to the Associated Press All-West Coast team in 1984 and 1985 and an honorable mention All-American in 1985. He graduated in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in political economics.
Holt (born Oct. 15, 1962) and his wife, Julie, have two sons, Nick and Ben. Ben is a fifth-year senior linebacker at Purdue.