Education
Holland attended Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis, where he played football, basketball, and ran track. As a senior, Holland was named all-state, Indianapolis City Player of the Year and All-North Football Player of the Year after rushing for 2,048 yards on 239 carries and 35 touchdowns and added nine receptions for 153 yards (170 average) and one touchdown. He also returned nine punts for 137 yards (152 average) and returned three kickoffs for 124 yards (413 average) and one touchdown.
He led his team to Class 3A state championship.
His junior year he totaled 2,257 rushing yards on 331 carries (68 average) and 32 touchdowns with 19 receptions for 239 yards (159 average). As a sophomore he rushed for 961 yards on 144 carries (67 average) and 11 touchdowns.
He set the school record for career rushing yards with 5,270 yards. He was named the 2007 city athlete of the year.
Holland played college football at Purdue University from 2007 to 2011.
After redshirting his first year, Holland moved from safety to outside linebacker during training camp in 2008.
He started at outside linebacker for the Boilermakers in 48 of the possible 49 games amassing 324 tackles (14th in school history) and 23.5 tackles for a loss for his career. Also excelling in the classroom, Holland was a two time Academic All American and in 2011 was one of eighteen players in the nation chose as a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete. He was a captain of the 2011 team