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January 4, 2009 6:39 PM

Holt headed to Seattle

Official confirmation has come tonight that USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt is indeed in discussions to take over the same job at Washington.

In fact, I was able to confirm earlier today that Holt is registered to check in at a hotel in the university district that is typically used by the University of Washington for football purposes. He's due in Monday.

UPDATE --- Here's a link to the full story.

New UW coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed tonight that he is talking with Holt.

"We're talking,'' Sarkisian said. "It's not done. Hopefully we'll know one way or the other
pretty soon.''

Interestingly, Holt had given a pretty vehement denial that he was in talks with UW in this story in today's Los Angeles Daily News. But Sarkisian has apparently been putting a heavy push on Holt since the Rose Bowl game on New Year's Day.

Holt is said interested in making the move to have more control over the defense. At USC, head coach Pete Carroll is in essence his own coordinator with final say on play calls and schemes. Holt would have more control at UW with Sarkisian handling the offense.

Holt, however, could be in for a pay cut as 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.

Securing Holt would obviously go a long way toward solidifying Sarkisian's staff, filling both of the coordinator positions.

Holt has been USC's defensive coordinator the past three seasons, also coaching the defensive line in that time. But he also has experience coaching linebackers at USC. Johnny Nansen was earlier hired as a defensive assistant but with an unspecified position. Nansen most recently coached the defensive line at Idaho. Nansen and Holt worked together at both Louisville and Idaho, where Holt was head coach in 2004-05.

LOEFFLER TO FLORIDA? --- One coach apparently not headed to Seattle is Scot Loeffler, the QB coach of the Detroit Lions who is instead rumored headed to Florida, according to this story from ESPN.com. Loeffler had been rumored a possible candidate to come to UW.

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