PHOTO BY DREW McKENZIE / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

BY TODD DYBAS / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

Nick Holt blew into Seattle with the subtlety of a lightning strike.

Head shaved, goatee trimmed, Holt was introduced Tuesday as the Huskies' new defensive coordinator, pulling his bags full of hellfire and brimstone off his Alaska Airlines flight and toting them up to Montlake.

After Monday's introductory press conference was postponed because of "unforeseen circumstances," the university brought out the new coach Tuesday. It may have been the largest crowd to view the presentation of an assistant. Even in the over-hyped, ESPN-fueled sports culture pounding us in the face these days, the crowd was a surprise. At least Holt didn't disappoint.

Perhaps channeling his grandfather's camera charisma, Holt went from slight nervousness to voracious in about 15 seconds. The new coordinator spent 30 minutes talking in terms as direct as his name.

He thanked the folks at USC. He said head coach Steve Sarkisian changed his mind, Holt initially declined the position, though the reported $2.1 million he will be paid for three years of work could not have hurt. That's enough to inspire most.

Holt said Washington is a sleeping giant. He's right about part of that, the program has been in snooze mode for several years now.

He laughed at and with the media. He laughed about the schedule. After being informed of the primary statistics that represent the Huskies dismal 2008 defense, allowing 38.6 points per game and 452 yards, Holt said that's not acceptable. He then went into a timetable to turn those numbers around when it dawned on him the Huskies open with LSU then face USC two weeks later. Holt through his hands up, snickered some more.

The presentation and tenor could not have been farther from the previous regime. Holt and Sarkisian finished each other's sentences. They both made fun of themselves. They talked about fun, function and ferocity.

The man Holt replaces is Ed Donatell. Donatell spoke with calm, his left leg draped over his right, professorial glass frames in hand. Holt would not appear out of place if employed by Vince McMahon. He even referred to himself in the third person.

Sarkisian said Holt is always like this, something the new coach enjoyed, fancying himself a constant motor, too.

Holt's family has a history in show biz, now a required part of being a college football coach. His maternal grandfather was Clarence "Buster" Carbbe, an All-American swimmer at USC who starred as Tarzan, Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers.

Holt is the fifth member of the USC Band of Brothers filling the Washington coaching ranks. Sarkisian said Tuesday he's not trying to make Washington USC North, as if that would be a negative.

Holt was effusive when talking about the Washington campus. Sincere when talking about the importance of the coaches visiting less fortunate kids in the area, ones that would never be recruits at the school.

Scott Woodward stood behind the media, smiling and listening as Holt ran the press conference. Hugh Millen was there, as was coach Dick Baird, whom Holt hugged and told to come by any time because he was always welcomed. A cynic would pass that off as a made-for-TV moment, but Holt was about to step out and had finished talking to the projected recorders when it happened.

Huskies men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar stopped in for a peak, perhaps sizing up Sarkisian. Sarkisian spoke to the basketball team Monday, challenging a few to one-on-one. When asked about it, Jon Brockman seemed to like his odds.

Woodward said the delayed unveiling had nothing to do with adding extra dollars to the pot, assuming there were any left. This is a school packing it's empty tin cup and heading to Olympia looking for cash to renovate Husky Stadium. To pay an assistant football coach $600,000 his first year, then go ask for money should get them laughed out of the legislature. Though it won't.

It was fun for a day. Holt adding to the jolt already delivered by Sarkisian's hiring. The new defensive coordinator pulled on his black coat, the one adorned with a small rose on the left lapel, and headed out the back. Woodward escorted him out the underbelly of Bank of America Arena, the Huskies' new lightning bolt heading into the rain.

Todd Dybas is the editor of Seattlesportsonline.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tdybas@seattlesportsonline.com