Nick Holt
By MICHAEL LEV, OCREGISTER.COM,
USC
USC’s coaches came into this season believing they had four starting-caliber cornerbacks. They will find out Thursday night whether they have at least three. Starting cornerback Shareece Wright will miss “a number of weeks” because of a neck injury, Trojans coach Pete Carroll announced after practice Monday. Tests revealed a hairline fracture in one of Wright’s vertebrae. He originally...
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The race to replace All-American Sedrick Ellis is one of the top storylines for the Trojans this spring. At least it was until heir apparent Averell Spicer was sidelined with a lingering knee injury. Now a youth movement is on at nose guard with several players vying for practice repetitions. Inside: Kyle Moore, Nick Holt and Pete Carroll talk...
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There were several reports that Raiders coach Lane Kiffin wanted to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan before the club issued a statement last week saying Ryan would return. This is rich on a few levels, with the idea of a 32-year-old first-year coach firing a respected assistant. But we mention it for another reason. The rumor among league coaches...
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Kevin Carden, SCPlayBook USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt had the Trojans playing dominant football all year. Kevin Carden caught up with Nick Holt for an in-depth one-on-one interview. Holt discusses all things football including Pete Carroll, recruiting and much more… continue...
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Mak Saxon, OC Register Considering USC hasn’t played Idaho since the start of the Great Depression – and the Vandals will be led by a first-year head coach – it might appear the Trojans lack information on this Saturday’s opponent. That would not be accurate. USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt was the head coach at Idaho as recently as...
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No one is questioning the physical freakishness or outstanding play of MLB Rey Maualuga, but so far (with little evidence to go from) it does seem like the D gels better as a unit under the leadership of MLB Oscar Lua.
We are not sure who was calling for the defense to slant to the wrong side all the time against Washington State (Rey Maualuga or Nick Holt), but this was the role of Oscar Lua and Lofa Tatupa when they played at the MLB spot.
"There's no one else, besides Oscar, he was like Lofa Tatupu, who always talked to the defense," one player said.
Defensive end Lawrence Jackson said a linebacker is typically the most vocal because they act as "the quarterback of the defense."
"I don't think it's any one set person," Jackson added. "There isn't any person right now that stands out but everyone can talk."
Maualuga agreed but he is only a sophomore.
"The (middle linebacker) is in charge of everything," he said. "But I think everyone can be a leader."
No worries Rey. But as you play more and more, the more fumbles you create, the more quarterbacks you confuse, the more backs you stop in their tracks after shooting a gap, you will want to be the one, the leader, shouting reads to your teammates.
Sans Lua, defense still seeks leader [LA Daily News]
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Less than a month before kickoff now.... and here is what Pete has to look forward to this season....
The entire team, with the exception of walk-on safety Justin Hart (tonsillitis), reported Wednesday.
"The Coliseum is sold out for every game for the first time ever."
"What is unique about this team is that we have the culmination of three very big recruiting years, and those classes have a sense of what this is all about already," said Pete Carroll (at Pac-10 media day).
This is the most talented USC team to play under Carroll.
ComPETE is the name of the game and there will be plenty of it to bring about the best.
Notable position battles include quarterback (John David Booty vs. Mark Sanchez), tailback (Chauncey Washington vs. Michael Coleman and a stable of incoming freshmen) and all linebacker spots (Rey Maualuga vs. Oscar Lua, Dallas Sartz vs. Brian Cushing, Keith Rivers vs. Kaluka Maiava).
Team speed?
"Somebody put a stopwatch on them recently," Carroll says, with a hint of a smile. "We think we have nine guys who run 10.7 or better (in the 100-yard dash)."
Oh, and lest we forget, the man pictured here. Nick Holt will be returning to replace Jethro Franklin in coaching the defensive line AND will be holding the title of defensive coordinator--the first other than Pete in the Pete Carroll era. You think he is good? He is better than good!
Fall Camp Begins [USCFootball.com]
USC reloading, not rebuilding [OCRegister]
Carroll doesn't wonder 'what if ...' [OCRegister]
Don't Worry, Be Happy [DailyBreeze]
Camp Check-In [BrandonHancock.com]
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Former USC linebacker coach, Nick Holt, returns as the defensive coordinator. He will be coaching the defensive line also. And here's what he had to say about #96 and #49:
"I think there are a couple of kids who have played a lot of football with Lawrence Jackson and Sedrick Ellis and they have a chance to be really, really good football players."
USC is campaigning Lawrence Jackson as a defensive end All-American candidate.
Return to Troy [USCFootball.com]
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Just one day after accepting an offer to become the St Louis Rams' defensive line coach, Nick Holt was lured back to USC by the coveted title of defensive coordinator, which has been previously held by Pete Carroll.
Holt was the Trojans' linebacker coach from 2001-03. And head coach at Idaho from 2004-05.
Ex-Idaho coach to join Trojans as D-coordinator [ESPN]
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