Nick Holt Nicholas " Nick " Holt V ( born October 15 , 1962 ) is a college football coach , currently the defensive coordinator for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers . Prior to taking the position in 2013 , he was the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Washington Huskies for three seasons . Previously , Holt was the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach of the USC Trojans , and the head coach of the Idaho Vandals from 2004 - 05 . Education . Nick Holt attended high school at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose , California , where he played football and baseball and graduated in 1981 . He attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton , where he played linebacker and lettered for four years for the Tigers . In his senior season of 1985 , Holt was an All - American honorable mention , Pacific ' s MVP and a team captain . He graduated from UOP in 1986 with a bachelor ' s degree in political economics . Coaching career . In 1986 , Holt served as defensive coordinator at St . Mary ' s High School in Stockton . In 1987 he moved to Las Vegas to coach linebacker s at UNLV , serving as a graduate assistant during the first season . In 1990 Holt moved north to serve as the defensive line coach at Idaho under head coach John L . Smith , then Chris Tormey . After eight seasons in Moscow , he moved east in 1998 to Louisville to coach the defensive line under John L . Smith again . After three seasons with the Cardinals , Holt returned west in 2001 to Los Angeles to coach the linebackers at USC under Pete Carroll , where he stayed for three seasons . Idaho . Following the 2003 season , Tom Cable was fired after four seasons at Idaho . Holt returned to the Palouse and was hired as the head coach , signing a four - year contract at $ 205 , 000 per year . The Vandals went 3 - 9 in 2004 in their last season in the Sun Belt Conference and 2 - 9 in 2005 , their first season in the WAC . During his tenure at Idaho , a game was scheduled between the Vandals and his former Trojans for September 1 , 2007 . Holt decided to take the game because it offered an opportunity to increase visibility to recruits in the region as well earn Idaho $ 600 , 000 for the appearance . However , despite a contract that ran through 2008 , Holt departed after two seasons to return to USC , 19 months before the game was played . USC . When former Idaho quarterback and alumnus Scott Linehan became head coach of the NFL ' s St . Louis Rams , he offered Holt a position as his defensive line coach . The two had coached together under John L . Smith at both Idaho and Louisville . Deciding to make a move before his children entered high school , Holt resigned as head coach from Idaho on February 6 , 2006 , to take a position with the Rams . After hearing the news , USC head coach Pete Carroll offered his former assistant more money and the position of defensive coordinator . A day later , Holt declined the offer from the Rams ( estimated at $ 320 , 000 annually , he had not signed a contract ) to return to USC , and took over defensive coordinator responsibilities from Carroll . Holt signed a three - year contract exceeding $ 1 . 4 million . His second tour at USC also lasted three seasons , while the Trojans posted a 34 - 5 record ( ) . Washington . In December 2008 , USC Trojans offensive coordinator and colleague Steve Sarkisian was hired as the head coach of the Washington Huskies in Seattle . Sarkisian and Holt coached their final game with the Trojans , the Rose Bowl , on January 1 , 2009 . Though it meant moving the family while the children were in high school , on January 5 , 2009 , Holt accepted the position of defensive coordinator at Washington , taking over for Ed Donatell , who was not retained by Sarkisian . Holt signed a three - year contract valued at $ 2 . 1 million . At the end of Holt ' s second season at UW in 2010 , the Husky defense appeared improved as the team went on a three - game winning streak to finish the regular season and become bowl - eligible , capped with a 19 - 7 victory over Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl . 2011 season . While 2011 saw the emergence of sophomore quarterback Keith Price and improvement on offense , the Huskies were ranked near the bottom in the conference and nationally on defense ( of 120 FBS teams : 106 in yards allowed , 108 in points allowed , 116 in passing yards allowed ) . Washington broke to an early 5 - 1 record and was bowl - eligible in October , but lost three straight in November before winning the Apple Cup to finish the regular season at 7 - 5 . The five losses were not close games , with copious points and yardage yielded on defense , including 65 points at Stanford , with most of the damage coming from the Cardinal running game , not quarterback Andrew Luck . At the Alamo Bowl , the Huskies faced Baylor , with Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III at quarterback . Similar to the Stanford game , the Huskies generally contained the high - profile quarterback , but were soundly beaten by the rest of the offense . Despite scoring eight touchdowns on offense , the Huskies gave up 67 points and 777 yards on defense , and lost by 11 points . Holt was fired two days later , as were linebackers coach Mike Cox and safeties coach Jeff Mills . All three coaches had contracts through the 2012 season , totaling over $ 1 million . Cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin left the staff two weeks earlier for UCLA under new head coach Jim Mora . Johnny Nansen , defensive line and special teams , was the only defensive coach remaining on the UW staff at the end of 2011 . The three released coaches were given lump sum payments for the 2012 season : Holt ( $ 650 , 004 ) , Cox ( $ 220 , 008 ) , Mills ( $ 155 , 004 ) . Cox went to Kansas State as the linebackers coach and Mills to New Mexico as defensive coordinator . Arkansas . In August 2012 , Holt was named the on - campus recruiting coordinator at Arkansas , under new head coach John L . Smith . The position was previously held by Jessica Dorrell , the mistress of fired head coach Bobby Petrino , at a salary of $ 55 , 735 per year . Holt was scheduled to receive similar compensation . Western Kentucky . On January 2 , 2013 , Holt was named defensive coordinator at Western Kentucky , under new head coach Bobby Petrino . Petrino was hired by WKU after Willie Taggart left for South Florida . Holt and Petrino served together on Smith ' s staff at Idaho in 1990 and 1991 and again at Louisville in 1998 . Personal . Holt was born October 15 , 1962 . He and his wife , Julie Hickey Holt ( who was the head women ' s basketball coach at Nevada - Reno , Pacific , Gonzaga , Idaho and Los Angeles Harbor Junior College ) , have 2 sons , Nick VI and Ben . Holt ' s maternal grandfather was Buster Crabbe ( 1908 - 83 ) , an All - American swimmer at USC who won a gold medal in the 400 m freestyle at the 1932 Olympics and then starred in film as Tarzan , Flash Gordon , and Buck Rogers .