GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 4 53
good. It all started with Holt's high
school coach at Bellarmine Prep in
San Jose, Walt Arnold. Wayne Nunne-
ly gave Holt his first college coaching
job at UNLV — Nunnely went on to
coach 17 seasons in the NFL. Holt
also was impacted, either as player or
colleague, by Chester Caddas and Bob
Cope — both of whom spent time at
Purdue as assistants in the 1980s —
Pete Carroll, Brad Seely, Ed Donatell,
John L. Smith, Bobby Petrino, Scott
Linehan and Greg Olson, among oth-
ers. Carroll, Seely, Donatell, Linehan
and Olson, the former Purdue assis-
tant, all currently are on NFL staffs.
Once Holt got into the profes-
sion, he realized how fortunate he
was to have such mentors. As a high
school and college kid, he said he
was "young and stupid" and didn't
grasp their knowledge and ability.
Now, more than 30 years into his own
coaching career, he gets it. And he's
overwhelmed when he thinks of all
the insight those mentors have given
him.
He just wants to keep passing that
on.
His players have felt that desire.
"I think his best trait is his pas-
sion," said Davis, a linebacker. "He's
the type of coach who will stay in the
office all day, through the night. He's
going to find the little things about
a team that your average coach may
not find.
"His experience as a coach brings
another element to it. … That gave
us an extra advantage."
j
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