12/30/11

FIRE NICK HOLT! Is that loud enough?! Coach Sark, can you hear me?! In one of the most amazing offensive performances of any bowl game to date, the losing team gets to hear all the gripe about a poor defense, while the winning team revels in their potent offensive performance. Since the Baylor Bears were the latter, the Huskies are left to figure out and correct the defensive draught that has been in place since Nick Holt took over as D. Coordinator at the University of Washington.

Coming over from USC, all anyone talks about in the media is how well-respected Nick Holt is, which somehow should equal success. And yes, his defenses did have success down at 'SC, but how many first-round draft picks did he have? Enough to play a basic defense and let them make plays. Well that works with elite talent. One thing missing with Nick Holt is the ability to devise a game plan with HIS defensive players that can slow down the opposition. Instead he draws up a plan to stop an offense, and attempts to get his players to fill those roles without considering his player's strengths and weaknesses. The problem is that he does not have those players who can realistically play that style. Three years was enough time to try and use his method, and was enough time to expose Holt's weaknesses. If Sark wants to continue his rise at UW, he must fire Nick Holt. He is the only aspect holding this program back, and quite clearly as the Alamo Bowl showed, the most important.

Coach Sark must go out and find an up-and-coming defensive mastermind. One that can draw up and execute defensive schemes against an offense, with lesser talent. Yes, Washington's defense is young and inexperienced, and will only get bigger and better with another off-season, but they won't reach their full potential with a defensive coordinator who can't work with less than first-round talent. That's why a new defensive coordinator with proven success with lesser talent, would be huge in revitalizing the defensive side of the ball. Maybe go out east into the SEC and try to pull a coach? I'm sure the defensive coordinator position at the University of Washington would entice a bright mind. All I hope for is a change, and one quickly.

Signing off.