By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
GREENVILLE — East Carolina coach Skip Holtz took some time to address the rumors revolving around his job status on Friday during his final home press conference before he and his team head to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl where the Pirates (9-4) will face Arkansas (7-5, SEC) on Jan. 2.
Holtz has been linked to several jobs, most notably the once-vacant Cincinnati position which was filled by former Central Michigan coach Butch Jones on Wednesday.
Holtz said that he did not approach any school about their openings, but has received phone calls and, upon examination of his options, the Pirates’ fifth-year coach said that remaining in Greenville was the right call.
“I don’t have an agent, I’m not looking for a job, I have not applied for a job, I have not called anybody for a job or have had anyone call on my behalf for a job and I am very content with the one that I have right here in Greenville,” Holtz said. “I enjoy it here, I like it here and I am not out there peddling the streets.
“I think it’s an honor when people start throwing your name around for these different jobs, because it shows people are taking notice to what we are doing here in Greenville. … I did have an opportunity to talk to some people during the off-season that called and, after sitting down and weighing our options, Jen (Holtz’s wife) and I have decided that Greenville is the best place to be.”
Holtz said that out of respect to the schools, he would not name which ones were interested in his services, but did say that he and athletic director Terry Holland kept in communication during the entire process.
“I did talk to (other schools), I did have the opportunity to have some discussions with some people. It was very professional and very up front and I did it with the blessing of the administration here and I’m very grateful that they gave me the opportunity to sit down and talk.”
Holtz also said that during his time at ECU just about every assistant has been talked to by other schools, but as of right now nobody was going anywhere. The Pirates coach said that, “There are no bars on these windows” and that he and the school would allow any assistants the freedom to pursue whatever is best for their respective families.
Welcome aboard
The Pirates announced on Friday that they have signed three junior college transfers in quarterback Dominique Davis, safety Bradley Jacobs and OL Diavalo Simpson.
Davis began his college career at Boston College in 2008 as a redshirt freshman before playing at Fort Scott CC (Kansas) where guided the team to the nation’s top JUCO offense averaging 492 yards per game.
Jacobs (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC and Simpson (East Mississippi CC) each helped their team obtain national rankings in the JUCO polls.
“They’re coming in to fill some needs for us,” Holtz said. “We have not made the junior college route a steady part of what we do here, but we have gone that way in cases of need. This year the biggest needs were at safety, on the offensive line and at quarterback. I feel really good about the three guys we signed.”