UW Football | Steve Sarkisian hires a right-hand man, Nick Holt

Sure, a potential $2.1 million over three years and having total control of a defense helped draw Nick Holt to Washington.

But UW's new assistant head coach and defensive coordinator said he was also lured to Seattle from a successful run at USC by a chance to start anew.

"I could have stayed and done the same deal and it would have been great," said Holt, USC's defensive coordinator the past three years, each concluded with the Trojans winning the Rose Bowl. "But I wanted to maybe step outside the box and do something different."

And when USC coach Pete Carroll put the hard sell on Holt to stay, he said the opportunity to create something fresh and rebuild the Huskies with new UW head coach Steve Sarkisian helped keep him on course to Seattle.

"Yeah, he tried to keep me, no doubt," Holt said. "But really, it's not all about money. It's where you feel you can make a difference, a huge, huge difference. And I think with Sark's help, I can get it done."

Holt has a guaranteed three-year contract that will pay him $600,000 this year and $650,000 in 2010 and 2011.

He also will receive a $200,000 retention bonus, payable upfront that would have to be returned all or in part, on a sliding scale, if he were to leave before the end of the contract.

That deal makes him the highest-paid assistant in UW history and among the higher-paid in the nation — he will make more than the reported $600,000 of WSU coach Paul Wulff.

The money comes in part from what UW athletic director Scott Woodward said is an increased pool of money available for assistants, from $1.9 million a year ago to $2.1 million this year. A large share will go to the team's two coordinators. Offensive coordinator Jim Michalczik will make $350,000 per year.

Holt said he knows his deal will mean pressure to produce. Asked during an upbeat news conference in which the high-energy Holt used the word "awesome" at least a dozen times, he admitted that the Huskies defense "better be pretty good. That's the bottom line."

Holt, 46, said he may tweak his defense to fit UW's personnel but plans to use the same prostyle 4-3 look that has been so successful at USC.

While Holt was defensive coordinator at USC, however, Carroll called the plays on game day and had final say on all matters regarding the defense.

At UW, Holt will be in complete command of the defense with Sarkisian overseeing the offense.

Holt said that responsibility was "a great lure" that helped him decide to take the job after he initially turned it down in December. Sarkisian renewed talks after he returned to USC to finish out duties as offensive coordinator with the Trojans for the Rose Bowl and eventually sold Holt, whose parents have lived on Orcas Island since 1983, where they run a bed-and-breakfast.

A news conference to announce the hire was originally set for Monday but delayed a day for several factors, including what Holt said was "still ironing out some stuff."

Sarkisian said the investment will be worth it because "it's important for me as a first-year head coach knowing that I know what is going on on that side of the ball. I trust Nick with everything he is doing."

NOTES

• FootballScoop.com reported that the Huskies might be close to hiring two new defensive coaches — Jeff Mills, defensive coordinator at Youngstown State and Mike Cox, linebackers coach for the St. Louis Rams. Each has worked previously with Holt. Mills was a graduate assistant at UW in 1990-91.

Holt and Sarkisian wouldn't confirm the report directly but several times said that new defensive coaches would be in place soon. Those two coaches would fill out the defense, leaving UW with three open offensive spots to hire.

"We've got a couple of guys hopefully coming in the next couple of days or so to solidify the defense," Sarkisian said. "Now the focus will shift to offense."

• Sarkisian said QB Jake Locker appears to be on track in his recovery from his broken thumb.

Sarkisian said Locker told him Monday he has begun throwing a football.

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