Delaware Adds Jarred Holley to Staff as Defensive Backs Coach

Head coach Ryan Carty added a proven defensive voice to his staff when the University of Delaware announced the hiring of Jarred Holley as assistant coach for the bandits position, bringing a decade of collegiate coaching experience to Newark.

Holley arrives in Delaware with a résumé built at stops that produced hardware. His previous work at Marshall and Abilene Christian included contributions to a Western Athletic Conference title and an FCS playoff win, and he has developed multiple defensive backs who earned all-conference recognition along the way. That combination of team success and individual player development represents exactly the profile Carty has been targeting as he continues to build out his coaching roster.

Before he was coaching defensive backs, Holley was playing at the University of Pittsburgh, where he developed the firsthand understanding of the position that has defined his coaching approach. That playing background at a major program, followed by a decade of work at the collegiate level, gives Holley credibility with the players he will now recruit and develop for the Blue Hens.

The bandits designation is worth noting for Delaware followers. The term refers to a hybrid defensive back role that demands versatility, often lining up against tight ends and slot receivers while carrying run-support responsibilities more typical of a linebacker. Finding a coach with deep experience developing players at that position is a specific need, and Holley's track record with all-conference defensive backs suggests he can handle the assignment.

Carty made the announcement Wednesday, March 11, framing the hire as part of a deliberate effort to strengthen Delaware's defensive infrastructure with experienced personnel. The Blue Hens' coaching staff continues to take shape, and Holley's decade of experience at programs operating at different levels of the game gives Delaware range in how it can deploy his knowledge heading into the season.