Bears hire Tim Holt as offensive line coach

**gammabears** · 02-08-2012, 03:53 PM

Bears hire Tim Holt as offensive line coach

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 2/8/2012 3:50 PM

In the search for an offensive line coach, Lovie Smith was seeking a hungry individual who possessed excellent teaching skills, NFL experience and knowledge of the game.

After interviewing Tim Holt, Smith knew he had found his man. The 38-year-old, who spent the past three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was hired for the position on Wednesday.

“He’s the perfect fit,” Smith said. “He’s an impressive guy; a young coach coming up through the ranks. I think he’s going to bring something to the room. He’s exactly what we were looking for at that position.”

Holt will work closely with recently appointed offensive coordinator Mike Tice, who will continue to help tutor the line as he did the past two seasons as a position coach.

Holt joined the Buccaneers in 2009 as a coaching intern during spring OTAs, concentrating on tight ends before helping with the offensive line during training camp and the regular season.

After working as an offensive assistant in 2010, concentrating most of his work on the line, he served as Tampa Bay’s assistant offensive line coach in 2011. Holt helped coach a Pro Bowler in each of those seasons in left tackle Donald Penn (2010) and guard Davin Joseph (2011).

“He went to Tampa as an intern and did such a good job that they let him come back for training camp,” Smith said. “They then kept him around for the entire season. He was sleeping on couches down there just to work. He spent three years down there working his way up, doing it the right way.”

Prior to joining the Buccaneers, Holt spent 14 seasons (1995-2008) coaching collegiately, including 10 working with offensive linemen. He started coaching at his alma mater, Southern Connecticut State, in 1995, working two seasons as the tight ends/assistant offensive line coach. Holt played on the offensive line at the school for four seasons (1991-94) and was a three-year letter winner.
University of Phoenix

Holt held the same position at Lehigh (1997-98) and Cornell (1999) before taking on the responsibility of running backs coach at Cornell in 2000. From 2001-03, he was the offensive line coach/offensive coordinator at American International before returning to his alma mater to coach the running backs for three seasons (2005-07). Holt then served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Stonehill College in 2008.

Bears hire Holt as offensive line coach

**short faced bear** · 02-08-2012, 03:55 PM

Anyone know how good of a hire this is or is not?

**bearsinhouston** · 02-08-2012, 03:55 PM

I'm not too up on the TB line. Are they any good?

**MarkBear** · 02-08-2012, 04:04 PM

Thats interesting...is he any good?

**4DaBERS** · 02-08-2012, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by MarkBear

Thats interesting...is he any good?

Honestly, I'm not sure anyone around here will be able to make an informed decision on that. It sounds like this is a guy that has been working himself up the ranks, and this is probably a pretty good fit for both sides as the O-Line will still be Tice's baby just as the D-Line is Marinelli's baby. This looks fine to me as I really wasn't expecting any big names to come in anyway. If he listens to Tice, he'll be just fine.

**Zelezo Vlk** · 02-08-2012, 06:05 PM

Damn, I was hoping my buddy would get it. Oh well, I guess he needs a bit more experience.

**draw2anderson35** · 02-08-2012, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

Honestly, I'm not sure anyone around here will be able to make an informed decision on that. It sounds like this is a guy that has been working himself up the ranks, and this is probably a pretty good fit for both sides as the O-Line will still be Tice's baby just as the D-Line is Marinelli's baby. This looks fine to me as I really wasn't expecting any big names to come in anyway. If he listens to Tice, he'll be just fine.

I wasn't expecting much of this hire as well.

Tice has his desired blocking techniques and running scheme in place and was merely looking for a 'yes man' to work his drills and preach his word swhen he's off doing OC things at practice. HOlt has the title of OLC, but it will still be Tice pulling the strings. Tice hinted towards wanting an up & comer and desire to have a guy run it his way on the B&B show the day of his promotion to OC.

**soulman** · 02-08-2012, 09:36 PM

Whooooooooooooooo????????? Here's that old Tampa Bay connection again. Just once I'd like to steal a guy from the Packers. I hope he's got some coaching skills because it looks like to me he came in from the cheap seats. His college coaching experience wasn't exactly at BCS level schools either.

Happy as hell with that Bates hire but paint me with raised eyebrows over this one. According to Lovie they're always a perfect fit until they get canned after two years of a lack of success. Didn't he say Martz was a perfect hire too?

Smith fills out his coaching staff

Bears add Tim Holt as O-line coach Brad Biggs

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A day after making Jay Cutler happy by hiring Jeremy Bates as quarterbacks coach, Lovie Smith filled out his coaching staff for the Chicago Bears.

Tim Holt was hired as the offensive line coach to work under Mike Tice, who was promoted from line coach to offensive coordinator five days after the conclusion of the team’s 8-8 season. It is the first time Tice is an offensive coordinator in the NFL and the first time Holt will be a position coach. (So who does Holt happy, J'Marcus Webb?)

Holt comes to the Bears from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he spent the previous three seasons. He was an assistant offensive line coach in 2011 and an offensive assistant in 2010 after serving as a coaching intern in 2010.

Tice is expected to remain heavily involved with the offensive line and he will likely run the meeting room similar to how the team’s defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli works closely with the defensive line.

Holt worked on the college level for 14 seasons, including five at Southern Connecticut State, where he played and earned three letters.

Follow me on Twitter: @BradBiggs
Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

**4DaBERS** · 02-08-2012, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by soulman

Whooooooooooooooo????????? Here's that old Tampa Bay connection again. Just once I'd like to steal a guy from the Packers. I hope he's got some coaching skills because it looks like to me he came in from the cheap seats. His college coaching experience wasn't exactly at BCS level schools either.

Happy as hell with that Bates hire but paint me with raised eyebrows over this one. According to Lovie they're always a perfect fit until they get canned after two years of a lack of success. Didn't he say Martz was a perfect hire too?

And Terry Shea and Ron Turner and Brick Hayley and....

Oh, I'm with ya bruh, but I just knew it would be a low level guy given the Tice connection to the O-Line. That said, just because we all knew it doesn't mean it's right, just that some of the predictability of this staff remains. This guy is not really the OLC, but the guy that organizes practice drills. He may not be great, but it really wasn't going to matter anyway. We saw how knowledgeable coaches that disagree with their superiors are treated..."Ron Rivera, there's the door, and don't let it hit you in the ass on your way through it."

Smith fills out his coaching staff

Bears add Tim Holt as O-line coach Brad Biggs

Share
Print This February 08, 2012, 07:07 PM EST
1 Comment

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0

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A day after making Jay Cutler happy by hiring Jeremy Bates as quarterbacks coach, Lovie Smith filled out his coaching staff for the Chicago Bears.

Tim Holt was hired as the offensive line coach to work under Mike Tice, who was promoted from line coach to offensive coordinator five days after the conclusion of the team’s 8-8 season. It is the first time Tice is an offensive coordinator in the NFL and the first time Holt will be a position coach. (So who does Holt happy, J'Marcus Webb?). JWebb grew up 90 miles from Lovie Smith's home town of Big Sandy, Texas. Do ya think Tim Holt will be made aware of that?

Holt comes to the Bears from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he spent the previous three seasons. He was an assistant offensive line coach in 2011 and an offensive assistant in 2010 after serving as a coaching intern in 2010.

Tice is expected to remain heavily involved with the offensive line and he will likely run the meeting room similar to how the team’s defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli works closely with the defensive line.

Holt worked on the college level for 14 seasons, including five at Southern Connecticut State, where he played and earned three letters.

Follow me on Twitter: @BradBiggs
Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

Regardless, whatever makes Lovie and Tice happy, right?

**bearsinhouston** · 02-08-2012, 10:30 PM

Don't remind me. I'm still sore about Rivera. Last time we had an effective attacking offense

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