Back to the Pittsburgh Steelers Newsfeed

Why Cole Holcomb could be the key to the Steelers' linebacking reboot

PITTSBURGH -- Gene Chizik still remembers the first time he noticed Cole Holcomb.

Only a few months into his first stint as North Carolina defensive coordinator, Chizik was overseeing a rotation of linebackers during a spring scrimmage. When a helmet popped off a member of the second string, Chizik called for the next available man to hustle on the field.

A scrawny redshirt freshman walk-on jumped in the mix.

He made a tackle on the very first play. On the play after that, he made another one -- this time for a loss.

"Who is that kid?