MOSCOW, Idaho - Nick Holt's football staff at the University of Idaho is beginning to take shape with Friday's hiring of five coaches.

Names familiar to Vandal fans are those of UI's all-time leading rusher Joel Thomas and former defensive coordinator Jeff Mills. Also joining Holt as he embarks on his inaugural season as a head coach are former Oregon State standout quarterback Jonathan Smith, former Washington State linebacker Johnny Nansen, and Nebraska-Kearney offensive coordinator Nate Kaczor, who coached with Holt at Utah State.

They, Holt said, form the foundation for what he is seeking at Idaho.

"I wanted people I could trust," Holt said. "Loyalty is really big for me.

"I wanted coaches who are great teachers. I wanted coaches who have a passion for teaching and love to be around kids and who are high-energy guys like me."

Holt's first few days were spent answering an endlessly ringing phone and returning countless messages to coaches who wanted to join him at Idaho.

"I had calls from all over the country," he said. "I had calls from guys who I didn't even think would be interested."

Which meant one thing: "I got my top choices," Holt said. "We have an excellent staff to begin a huge rebuilding process here."

Friday's hires are:

Joel Thomas (co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach)

"I can't say enough about Joel," Holt said. "He's a rising star in this profession. Joel was a great player here. He's been around some great programs. He's been around some great coaches. He has a passion for this place."

Thomas returns to Moscow after two seasons as running backs coach at Louisville, where he coached backs who were 10th in the nation in rushing in 2003. Thomas coached running backs at Idaho in the spring of 2002 before accepting the Louisville position.

Prior to his coming to Moscow, Thomas was a graduate assistant at Purdue University for two seasons where he assisted with the offensive line and tight ends. He also was charged with film evaluation and breakdown, defensive and special teams scout team organization, game plan and call sheet organization, game day front blitz charting, and recruiting.

To Vandal fans, though, he is most noted for a playing career that spanned six seasons and wound up with his being UI's all-time leading rusher. He was the Big West Conference Player of the Year by Football News in 1998 and led the Vandals to their comeback victory over Southern Mississippi as UI won the first bowl game in which it played - the 1998 Humanitarian Bowl.

Thomas is a native of Port Angeles, Wash., and earned his degree in public communication from Idaho in 1998. He earned credits toward his master's degree at Purdue.

Jeff Mills (assistant head coach and safeties)

"I trust Jeff with everything," Holt said. "He's a great, great football coach. He's very loyal. He knows what I'm all about. He's a great teacher. I'm very lucky to have Jeff back with me."

Mills comes to Idaho from Nevada after serving as the Wolf Pack's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the past three seasons after one season as linebackers coach. Mills was Idaho's defensive coordinator in 1997 after coaching the secondary in 1995 and 1996 with Holt as the defensive coordinator.

Mills initially joined the UI staff after having been the defensive backs coach at Montana State from 1992-94. Prior to his MSU stint, he was a graduate assistant for two years at Washington (1990-91), the tight ends coach at Drake (1989) and the outside linebackers coach at Western Washington (1988).

Mills is a 1988 graduate of Western Washington University and a native or Urbandale, Iowa.

Nate Kaczor (co-offensive coordinator, offensive line)

"Nate is an excellent football coach who knows how to win," Holt said. "He knows exactly what I want to do. He's a great, great people person, an excellent motivator and an excellent recruiter. We're really fortunate to have a coach the caliber of Nate Kaczor."

Kaczor comes to UI from Nebraska-Kearney but it was at Utah State where he first became acquainted with Holt. He joined the Nebraska-Kearney staff in 2000 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. His tenure there has been a record-setting one as the Lopers broke or tied as least 21 offensive records under his watch.

Prior to taking the Nebraska-Kearney job, Kaczor was the offensive line and tight ends coach for five years at Utah State. Prior to his appointment as a full-time coach, he was a graduate assistant at USU and coached tight ends and the defensive line.

Kaczor earned his bachelor's in physical education from Utah State in 1991 and later earned his master's degree. He was a team captain and all-Big West Conference center in 1989.

Jonathan Smith (quarterbacks)

"Quarterback coach was one of the first things I wanted to solidify," Holt said. "I had to get the best quarterback coach available. He's young but he's one who is a rising star, in my opinion. He has an excellent knowledge and grasp of the one-back passing game. He's going to be an excellent developer of quarterbacks."

Smith is just getting his feet wet as a coach after a sterling career as a player at Oregon State. He played for Dennis Erickson and was a graduate assistant for Erickson in 2002 and for Mike Riley in 2003.

He set seven Oregon State records and was 24-14 as a starter for the Beavers and was the starter in 2000 when the Beavers were 11-1 and were ranked fourth in the final Associated Press poll. Among his records are marks for single-game passing (469), career passing yardage (9,680), career total offense (9,209), career touchdown passes (55), single-season yards passing (3,053), single-season total offense yards (2,957) and single-season touchdown passes (20).

He is a 1997 graduate of Glendora (Calif.) High School and he earned his bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Oregon State in 2001.

Johnny Nansen (linebackers)

"He's a hard worker; he knows what I'm all about," Holt said. "He has an excellent rapport with the kids and he's an excellent recruiter. He has an excellent knowledge of our schemes. I'm lucky to get Johnny."

Nansen comes to Idaho from Idaho State University where he has been the secondary coach for the past three seasons. His first two years with the Bengals were spent coaching the cornerbacks.

Nansen's link to Holt comes from Holt's Louisville days when Nansen was a graduate assistant for Holt. He left Louisville for Montana State where he coached for one season before heading to Idaho State. Nansen also coached at Carillo High School at Long Beach, Calif., in 1997 and 1998.

He graduated in 1997 from Washington State University where he played linebacker. He started 10 games as a junior but was injured during much of his senior season. As a junior, he earned Pac 10 Player of the Week honors after the Cougars defeated Oregon. He is a native of Long Beach, Calif.