UW hires Nick Holt as defensive coordinator

The University of Washington has hired Nick Holt as its new defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

A news conference, scheduled for 3 p.m. today to announce the hiring has been postponed, but UW confirmed that Holt has been hired. The news conference will be at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

At USC, Holt worked with new UW coach Steve Sarkisian, who wooed him again in the past few days after Holt initially turned down the job in early December.

"This is very exciting for Husky football," Sarkisian said. "I don't think we could have found a more qualified or successful defensive coordinator anywhere in the country."

Holt is thought to be intrigued by having total control over UW's defense with Sarkisian handling play-calling on offense. At USC, coach Pete Carroll serves in essence as the defensive coordinator with final say on play calls and schemes.

Holt, however, figures to be in for a pay cut. He is thought to make around $500,000 at USC. The highest-paid assistant for the Huskies is new offensive coordinator Jim Michalczik, who has a three-year deal worth $350,000 per year.

Asked why he went back after Holt after the initial refusal, Sarkisian said, "It was a mutual thing. I'm just trying to hire the best guy I can hire."

The Huskies have hired away both of the coordinators from what has been the most powerful program in the Pac-10 the past decade, if not the conference's history — Sarkisian was USC's offensive coordinator the past four seasons and will call plays for the Huskies next season.

"Coach Sarkisian has been working tirelessly to recruit and to hire coaches," said Scott Woodward, UW director of athletics. "This hire is a clear reinforcement of the confidence I have in him to put together a top-notch coaching staff."

Holt has also coached the defensive line at USC. He also has coached linebackers in a previous stint with the Trojans.

Johnny Nansen, who was Idaho's defensive line coach the past four years, was earlier hired by Sarkisian as a defensive assistant but with an unspecified position. Nansen worked with Holt at Louisville and Idaho. Holt was Idaho's head coach in 2004-05, going 5-18.

Sarkisian and Holt worked together at USC the past three years and also from 2001-03 before Holt left USC for Idaho, where he had worked as an assistant and defensive coordinator in the 1990s.

Holt, 46, briefly accepted a job as defensive line coach with the St. Louis Rams in February 2006 before deciding instead to return to USC as defensive coordinator — he was linebackers coach during his first stint at USC.

Holt's wife, Julie, has been a head women's basketball coaches at several schools, including Idaho and Gonzaga.

At USC, Holt has coordinated defenses that have been a big part of the school winning at least a share of seven straight conference titles.

USC led the nation this year in scoring defense at nine points per game and was second in total defense (221.77 yards).

Washington still has five other assistant coaching spots that remain open, but now has both coordinator positions filled.

Sarkisian was scheduled to hold a team meeting with the players today at 4:30 p.m.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com.