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Donovan maybe you can tell me a little bit more about this coach: Nick Holt (any thoughts about his ability, etc)
I know only what the article says: head coach at Idaho, assistant under John L Smith at Louisville and Idaho, assistant coach under Pete Carrol at USC, and defensive coordinator until he was fired in January (after their bowl loss).

http://blogs.nwaonline.com/slophouse/20 ... -arkansas/

Article says he will have to coach voluntarily. Ark all ready has all the allowable coaching positions filled. Wonder how John L Smith talked him into coaching for free?

Not sure I can shed much light. He was head coach at Idaho for a couple of years and had a lousy record. Close ties to USC and most lately as defensive coordinator at Washington. This is what I do know. He is a good coach when it comes to coaching players and getting a lot out of them. Don't think he does well running programs. Tough guy. Smith is a guy with tons of friends and associations. If he is going there without compensation...then there is some carrot. Not bad. What I think is, Smith needs coaches that know where he is going and that do not need to be trained. Smith is a no nonsense guy. Great morals and character...and is just himself a character. Holt has a lot of big time exposure, so I think it probably is a good move to get a coach that can coach the players...
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The current assistants at Arkansas, in my opinion, are one of the best overall staffs in America. Petrino really did assemble a great group of coaches. If Arkansas succeeds this year a large part will be because of the foundation that Petrino left behind.

The new additions this year: Paul Haynes and Taver Johnson (both from Ohio State) were big gets. I have been to practice and both guys know how to coach. I loved what I saw in the Cotton Bowl from the defense (and Haynes had just a few weeks of practice with the defense). Steve Caldwell is a great Dline coach (he made a name for himself with Tenn coaching with Fulmer). Paul Petrino knows offense as well as anyone. Tim Horton has been with the program for years (under Nutt, Petrino, and now Smith). What I saw in practice is that John L lets his assistants do their job. He demands a lot but the players respond well to him. I think he is smart enough to let this very good staff around him do what they do best. The players love John L Smith. Maybe Holt wants to be a part of a team that has a chance to compete and win lots of games. Maybe he believes this will lead to a job after this season (one that pays). Who knows?

I would hate to see this staff be split up after this season, but it will more than likely happen.

Announced today Holt was hired as on campus recruiting coordinator by Arkansas. This was the position held by Dorrell...the lady Petrino hired, had an affair with, and then crashed his bike with her on the back.

Dossenator wrote:Announced today Holt was hired as on campus recruiting coordinator by Arkansas. This was the position held by Dorrell...the lady Petrino hired, had an affair with, and then crashed his bike with her on the back.

So he now does not have to coach for free. The NCAA limits the number of paid coaches. That is free enterprise right out of the Benito handbook. On the other hand, accreditation committees give you big points for a low student to teacher ratio. Glad it all makes so much sense. Coin toss in just a few weeks.

Holt interview in regards to Ark position: http://nwahomepage.com/fulltextsports?nxd_id=357692

Thank you for your insight into the situation and welcome to CFP.

I second Vileborg...thanks for the info and welcome!