He was previously head coach of Skorpions Varese of the Federazione Italiana di American Football in 2020[3] and an offensive analyst for Texas Tech in 2021.

Holt attended high school at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California, where he played football and baseball and graduated in 1981.

During the 1983 season, Pacific's offensive coordinator and assistant head coach was alumnus Pete Carroll, whom Holt later worked under at USC.

Deciding to make a move before his children entered high school, Holt resigned as head coach from Idaho on February 6, 2006, to take the position with the Rams.

[7][11][12] After hearing the news, USC head coach Pete Carroll offered his former assistant more money and the position of defensive coordinator.

A day later, Holt declined the offer from the Rams (estimated at $320,000 annually,[12] he had not signed a contract) to return to USC, and took over defensive coordinator responsibilities from Carroll.

In December 2008, USC Trojans offensive coordinator and colleague Steve Sarkisian was hired as the head coach of the Washington Huskies in Seattle.

[14] Washington broke to an early 5–1 record and was bowl-eligible in October, but lost three straight in November before winning the Apple Cup to finish the regular season at 7–5.

[2] The position was previously held by Jessica Dorrell, the mistress of fired head coach Bobby Petrino, at a salary of $55,735 per year.

[23] On January 2, 2013, Holt was named defensive coordinator at Western Kentucky, under new head coach Bobby Petrino, hired by WKU after Willie Taggart left for South Florida.

When Brohm was hired by Purdue in December 2016, Holt was promoted to interim head coach for the Boca Raton Bowl,[25] and the Hilltoppers defeated the Memphis Tigers 51–31.

[31] Holt's maternal grandfather was Buster Crabbe (1908–83), an All-American swimmer at USC and gold medalist in the 400 m freestyle at the 1932 Olympics who later starred in films such as Tarzan, Flash Gordon, and Buck Rogers.