Titans Complete Coaching Staff with Offensive and Defensive Coordinator Hires
NASHVILLE, TENN. – The Tennessee Titans named Dennard Wilson as Defensive Coordinator and Nick Holz as Offensive Coordinator.
Wilson
Wilson joins the Titans with 12 years of NFL coaching experience, including nine seasons coaching defensive backs.
Wilson spent one season (2023) with the Baltimore Ravens as Defensive Backs coach during a dominant defensive season. The Ravens defense ranked first in points allowed (16.5 per game), sixth overall (301.4 yards allowed per game), sixth in pass defense (191.9 yards per game), seventh in third down defense (36.4), first in sacks (60) and third in interceptions (18). Safety Kyle Hamilton earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as he totaled 75 tackles, three sacks and four interceptions.
Prior to joining the Ravens, Wilson spent two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, first as Defensive Backs coach (2021) and then as Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/DB’s (2022). In 2022, his defensive backs led the way as the Eagles ranked first in the NFL in pass defense (179.8 yards per game), third in opposing quarterback rating (81.6) and had the fourth-most takeaways (17 interceptions & 10 fumble recoveries) en route to a Super Bowl appearance. Cornerbacks James Bradberry and Darius Slay were the only CB tandem to each produce 14 passes defensed and three interceptions. In 2021, Philadelphia and New England tied for the NFL’s second-fewest completions of 20-plus yards allowed and ranked 11th in pass defense (220.9 yards per game).
Wilson spent four seasons (2017-20) with the New York Jets as Defensive Backs coach (2017-18) and Passing Game Coordinator/DB’s (2019-20). While there he oversaw the development of safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye. Adams earned three Pro Bowl nods and first team All-Pro honors. The 2019 defense ranked seventh in overall defense (323.1).
Wilson entered the NFL as a coach in 2012 with the St. Louis Rams as a Defensive Quality Control coach. In 2015 he was elevated to Defensive Backs coach. Prior to joining the NFL coaching ranks, he spent four years (2008-11) as a pro scout for the Chicago Bears. He originally entered coaching as a Defensive Backs coach for his high school alma mater, DeMatha Catholic (MD) from 2004-06. He also spent two seasons (2007-09) at the University of Maryland as a graduate assistant.
As a college player at Maryland, Wilson was a three-year starter and team captain at corner and safety. He signed with Washington as an undrafted college free agent in 2004 and landed on the team’s practice squad before suffering a season-ending injury.
Holz
Holz (pronounced HOLTZ) brings 11 years of NFL coaching experience to the Titans and a total of 16 years coaching.
He joins the Titans after one season with Jacksonville as their Passing Game Coordinator. The Jaguars ranked ninth in the NFL in passing (242.7 yards per game) and 13th in points scored (22.2 points per game). Wide receiver Calvin Ridley posted 1,016 receiving yards and eight touchdowns and tight end Evan Engram led all NFL tight ends with 114 receptions for 963 yards. Before his stint in Jacksonville, Holz was the offensive coordinator for UNLV in 2022.
Holz spent 10 years (2012-21) with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders and served in a variety of roles on offense, mostly focused on wide receivers. While with the Raiders, he served on coaching staffs with three different head coaches and under some prominent offensive minds, including Greg Knapp, Greg Olson, Bill Musgrave and Jon Gruden. Over his time there, the Raiders posted several top 10 offenses, including 2016 (6th in yards, 7th in points) and 2020 (8th in yards, 10th in points). As the Assistant Wide Receivers coach in 2021, wide receiver Hunter Renfrow posted career-best numbers (103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns) and earned Pro Bowl honors.
Holz joined the coaching ranks in 2007 as an Offensive Quality Control for Nebraska. After one season there, he moved to Stanford for three seasons (2008-10) as an Offensive and Operations Assistant on the Cardinal staff. As a college player at the University of Colorado, he was a three-year letterwinner as a wide receiver.
