Tag: Nick Holz

What Titans DC Dennard Wilson, OC Nick Holz said in introductory press conference

The Titans introduced DC Dennard Wilson and OC Nick Holz in an introductory press conference on Wednesday.

The Tennessee Titans introduced offensive coordinator Nick Holz and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson during an introductory press conference on Wednesday.

But before both had the chance to speak, head coach Brian Callahan went into detail about the hiring process of his coaching staff that saw heavy involvement from general manager Ran Carthon.

“Great teachers, great leaders, excellent communicators, guys that have excellent knowledge in their respective positions,” Callahan said of the coaching staff hires, per Kayla Anderson of 104.5 The Zone. “It’s high energy, great personalities, which makes the office fun these days.”

“The process was thorough,” Callahan added. “Ran and I spent quite a bit of time together interviewing, making sure we brought guys in to speak to them. Wanted to see guys in person, wanted everybody to feel the presence in the room. It was a little bit drawn out, it’s still going — obviously there’s still hires to make — but part of that process was intentional. We were trying to make sure we got the best people we could get for our staff and for the fit on the personality side, as well.”

“Obviously, leaned heavily on Ran’s relationships,” Callahan continued. “If you all know Ran, he’s about as big a people person as there is. He’s got a ton of contacts around the league, people that he knew that I didn’t that we had conversations about. Ran was involved in all of the interviews, as well. Really good sounding board for me, really good advocate of people he knew, which was really helpful to sit and talk with him about the interview process.”

Now, a look at what Wilson and Holz had to say, as well as some thoughts from Callahan on both of his coordinators and the planned approach.

Titans to introduce new coordinators on Wednesday

The Titans will hold an introductory press conference for OC Nick Holz and DC Dennard Wilson on Wednesday afternoon.

The only coaching staff hires the Tennessee Titans have made official thus far are offensive coordinator Nick Holz and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson.

And the team will formally introduce both new coordinators in a press conference at 12:30 p.m. CST on Wednesday, the team announced.

Wilson comes over from the Baltimore Ravens after serving as defensive backs coach last season.

The highly-regarded coach, who has over a decade of coaching experience in the NFL, has a connection to general manager Ran Carthon from their days together with the Rams.

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Holz was the Jacksonville Jaguars’ passing-game coordinator last season, a job he held for one year.

Prior to that, Holz was on the Raiders’ coaching staff for 10 seasons and survived multiple coaching changes. He has a connection with head coach Brian Callahan, as the pair were teammates in high school and spent time together on the Raiders’ staff.

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Of course, we’ll have full coverage of the press conference after it happens.

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Grade for Titans hiring Nick Holz as offensive coordinator

Our grade for the Titans hiring Nick Holz as offensive coordinator.

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan found his offensive coordinator when the team hired former Jacksonville Jaguars passing-game coordinator, Nick Holz.

One of the first things that jumps out at you with Holz is his light resume. He was the Jags’ passing-game coordinator for just one season, and prior to that the he was UNLV’s offensive coordinator.

Before his brief stint with the Runnin’ Rebels, Holz spent 10 seasons with the Raiders, where his most notable position was assistant wide receivers coach. However, the fact he survived multiple coaching changes suggests he’s a good coach.

While his lack of experience is a concern, that is countered by the fact that he won’t be calling plays. Instead, Holz will be responsible for implementing the offense, as well as helping with weekly game-planning and the development of quarterback Will Levis in general.

He may also be in the ear of Callahan on gamedays to offer input, much like Callahan was with Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor.

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram recently praised Holz for his work in Duval, which helped Jacksonville improve from the No. 10 passing attack in 2022 to the No. 9 unit in 2023.

Engram noted that Holz was good with players and is able to take charge. He also discussed what Holz’s role was and called him a “great offensive mind.”

“He’s great with the guys. He had a lot of meetings with us, a lot of gameplan stuff,” Engram said, per Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “He’d talk about what he sees; he takes charge of the room. And he knows what he’s doing. He’s a great offensive mind, and whatever his role is, he is definitely going to succeed at it. I know he’s going to do a lot of great work in Tennessee.”

Another plus for Holz is the fact that he has experience in different systems. That makes him an excellent sounding board for Callahan and staff to bounce ideas off of, and for his role with giving input in the offense.

“I think the biggest thing with Nick is taking us in year one to year two, in Nick’s experience with different systems during his time with the Raiders,” Jags offensive coordinator Press Taylor said in 2023, per Demetrius Harvey of Jacksonville.com. “He’s been with a lot of different guys whether it be Coach Gruden [former Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden], Coach Olson [former Raiders Offensive Coordinator Greg Olson], a bunch of different people that we think bring different ideas and experiences to us.

“Whether it be spread systems, west coast systems, no-huddle stuff. His experience and then the way he meshes with our coaching staff having known a couple of guys throughout, I think it will just continue to elevate us from year one to year two like we’ve been talking about.”

While you’d typically want a more robust resume for an OC, it’s clear Holz checks all the boxes needed for the type of OC role he’ll have in Nashville. This hire certainly isn’t as exciting as some of the others Callahan has made, but it’s solid nonetheless based on what Tennessee needs.

Grade: B

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New Titans OC Nick Holz: 6 things to know

Six things to know about new Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz.

The Tennessee Titans made a significant coaching staff hire on the offensive side of the ball on Friday, with the addition of new offensive coordinator Nick Holz.

Holz comes over from the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he served as the passing-game coordinator for an offense that finished No. 9 in passing.

Prior to his one-year stint in Duval, Holz was the offensive coordinator at UNLV, and before that he spent several years on the coaching staff of the Raiders.

There is understandably some trepidation about this hire from Titans fans, as his resume is a bit light for the job, and he’s a former Jag.

However, the fact that he won’t be calling the plays erases most, if not all of that concern.

We’ll talk about Holz’s expected role and more as we take a look at six things to know about the Titans’ new offensive coordinator.

Twitter reacts to Titans hiring Nick Holz as offensive coordinator

A look at how Twitter reacted to the Titans hiring Nick Holz as offensive coordinator.

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan has reportedly made the latest addition to his staff, with the team set to hire Jacksonville Jaguars passing-game coordinator Nick Holz as offensive coordinator.

This is the fourth coaching staff hire for Callahan, who has also added his dad, Bill Callahan, as offensive line coach, Dennard Wilson as defensive coordinator and Tyke Tolbert as wide receivers coach.

Holz was the Jags’ passing-game coordinator for one season in 2023, when Jacksonville sported the No. 9 passing attack in the NFL. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator at UNLV for one season.

Holz has connections to both Callahan’s.

He was Brian’s high school teammate and worked with him while both were on the Raiders’ staff, and served as an offensive quality control coach and video intern under Bill at Nebraska in 2007.

Over 10 seasons with the Raiders, Holz served in several jobs, including offensive assistant (2012-14), offensive quality control coach (2015-16 and 2018-20) and assistant wide receivers coach (2017 and 2021).

While we were hyped for the other three hires, this one isn’t as exciting because Holz’s resume is a bit short for such a role.

However, it’s worth noting that he won’t be calling the plays. Further, the fact that Callahan, who has been lauded for the other hires, trusts Holz is enough for us to get behind the move.

Here’s a look at how Twitter reacted.

Titans reportedly hire Jaguars pass-game coordinator Nick Holz as OC

For the second straight year, a Jaguars pass-game coordinator left to become an AFC South offensive coordinator.

The Tennessee Titans are hiring Jacksonville Jaguars pass-game coordinator Nick Holz to be their new offensive coordinator, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Holz spent only one season with the Jaguars, joining the team in 2023 after Jim Bob Cooter left the pass-game coordinator position vacant to become the Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator.

Jacksonville finished the 2023 season ninth in passing yards and 13th in total offense. However, the team struggled with miscues in the pass game and third-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence finished with 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions — a step back from his 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2022.

Poor play from the Jaguars’ offensive line and injuries at the receiver position (Christian Kirk missed five games and Zay Jones missed eight) contributed to the team’s offensive struggles. But a change to the team’s coaching staff, particularly in the pass game might not be the worst thing.

Holz will be tasked with bringing the Titans’ pass game to life after the team finished 29th in the NFL in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. Second-round rookie Will Levis was handed the reins to the offense in late October and finished his first season with eight touchdowns and four interceptions in nine starts.

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Report: Titans to interview Jaguars pass game coordinator Nick Holz

The Jaguars may be on the hunt for a passing game coordinator for a third straight year.

The Tennessee Titans plan to interview Jacksonville Jaguars passing game coordinator Nick Holz for their offensive coordinator vacancy, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Holz joined the Jaguars in 2023, filling the vacancy after Jim Bob Cooter left to become offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts. Holz served as the UNLV offensive coordinator in 2022 and spent a decade prior to that serving in various roles on the Las Vegas Raiders’ coaching staff.

Earlier this week, the Titans hired Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their new head coach. Callahan previously spent the 2018 season as quarterbacks coach for the Raiders while Holz was an offensive quality control coach with the team.

While the Jaguars finished the 2023 season with the ninth most passing yards, the year was largely defined by miscues and errors. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw fewer touchdowns than he did in 2022 and nearly double the interceptions. Injuries played a significant factor with Lawrence dealing with several issues and receivers Zay Jones and Christian Kirk both missing time. The offensive line also did the team little favors.

Tennessee’s offense finished the 2023 season with the 27th most points scored and 28th most yards gained. In October, the Titans turned to rookie quarterback Will Levis to be the team’s starter. He finished with eight touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games.

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Jags coach Nick Holz ‘a top candidate’ for Titans OC job

The Titans are reportedly set to interview Jaguars pass-game coordinator Nick Holz for their offensive coordinator job.

The Tennessee Titans reportedly have serious interest in a Jacksonville Jaguars coach for the offensive coordinator vacancy.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Titans plan to interview Jaguars pass-game coordinator Nick Holz for their vacant offensive coordinator position on Monday.

Pelissero adds that Holz worked with new Titans head coach Brian Callahan when both were with the Raiders and he’s considered a “top candidate” for the job.

Callahan was the Raiders’ quarterbacks coach for one season in 2018, when Holz was the team’s offensive quality control coach. The Jags coach also worked with wide receivers during his time there.

Holz became Jacksonville’s pass-game coordinator in 2023 and the Jags ended up finishing with the No. 9 passing attack in the NFL on his watch.

Holz isn’t the first name that has been linked to the Titans’ offensive coordinator job.

After Callahan was hired, reports suggested that Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown was a name to watch for Tennessee’s vacancy. He was one of three head coach candidates to garner a second interview.

The Titans now have at least one candidate for each of their coordinator jobs after it was reported on Thursday that the team will request an interview with Baltimore Ravens defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson for their defensive coordinator vacancy.

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Jaguars reportedly hire UNLV OC Nick Holz as pass game coordinator

The Jaguars found their replacement for Jim Bob Cooter in the college ranks.

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t take long to fill the vacancy left by Jim Bob Cooter’s departure. After the team’s former pass game coordinator left to become the offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts, the Jaguars landed on UNLV offensive coordinator Nick Holz to take over the role, according to Mia O’Brien of 1010XL.

Holz, 38, spent a decade in the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders organization, joining the team as an offensive assistant in 2012 and working his way up to assistant wide receivers coach. He left the Raiders to take over as the UNLV offensive coordinator in 2022.

In his only season at UNLV, the team averaged 26.3 points per game, up from 20.8 points in the year prior to his arrival.

The Jaguars don’t need to reinvent the wheel in 2023 after finding breakout success on offense in their first season with Doug Pederson. The pass game led the way with Trevor Lawrence emerging as a star in his second season with 25 passing touchdown, eight interceptions, and five rushing touchdowns.

In addition to Holz and Pederson, offensive coordinator Press Taylor and quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy will play a significant role in Lawrence’s continued development.

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