It's now 79 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, September 5th, 2020 at 3 pm, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, in Roy Kid Stadium, Richmond, KY. To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.
There is no one currently assigned to #79 on the preseason roster, so we'll highlight assistant football coach John Holt.
John Holt
POSITION Assistant Coach / Offensive Coordinator / OL
John Holt joined Mark Speir’s coaching staff at Western Carolina in January of 2012 from his alma mater, Appalachian State, where he had worked the four previous seasons. Serving as the program’s offensive line coach since 2012, Holt earned his biggest promotion during the spring of 2019 as he was elevated to the role of associate head coach and co-offensive coordinator, sharing the latter role with wide receivers coach, Tyler Carlton. Together, the two will guide the high-powered Catamount offense with Holt continuing to oversee the offensive line.
Known for his work ethic and personal approach with his players, Holt worked his way into his current position after assuming the role of player personnel director in 2015 and a year later, carrying the title of offensive run game coordinator. He additionally oversees WCU’s football camps and clinics.
In his time at WCU, Holt has mentored All-Southern Conference selections along the offensive line in tackle Josh Wineberg (2014-15), center Jake Thornton (2014-15), and Zach Weeks (2017-18). He also worked with SoCon All-Freshman selections, Weeks and Nathan Dalton in 2015, and Walker Lanning (2016).
Behind WCU’s offensive line, the Catamounts had their first 1,000-yard rusher since 2006 as Detrez Newsome posted the fourth-best total in single-season in school history with 1,109 yards on the ground in 2015. Holt’s offensive line helped pave the way for Newsome to eclipse the 1,000- yard rushing mark he next two seasons marking the first running back in WCU history to compile three-consecutive, 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
WCU's offense produced an unprecedented fourth-consecutive, 1,000-yard rush in 2018 as QB Tyrie Adams to eclipsed the mark, leading the SoCon in rushing yards per game at 91.5 yards per game – the only player in the league to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in 2018.
Prior to coming to Cullowhee, Holt spent three of his four years on staff at ASU working with the Mountaineer tight ends including coaching four-time All-SoCon selection Ben Jorden during three of his four all-conference seasons.
In 2008, Holt began his coaching career by serving on head coach Jerry Moore's staff in an offensive quality control capacity. His duties included assisting the offensive staff with day-to-day non-coaching duties, specifically offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. Thanks in large part to Holt's efforts, App State's offense ranked among the nation's top 10 in scoring, rushing, pass efficiency and total offense in '08.
A native of near-by Leicester, N.C., just outside of Asheville, Holt played in 55 of ASU's 56 games during his four-year career (2004-07) including all 15 games as a senior in 2007. He served as a team captain while also earning third team All-America honors from The Sports Network as a senior. A versatile offensive lineman, he saw significant playing time at right guard and both tackle positions during his collegiate
career. The son of Michael Joe and Susah Holt, John graduated from Appalachian State in 2008. His brother, Sherman, followed him to Boone, playing for the Mountaineers from 2007-11.
Holt was married to the former Ms. Krystle Thomas of Ivanhoe, N.C., on May 23, 2015. The couple had their first child, John Thomas (JT), in April of 2019.
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