Zach Azzanni new WR Coach

#201
#201
Are we really complaining this sincerely about the wide receiver coach? It isn't the OC or DC. I am almost feeling like breaking out my inner Iverson.
 
#203
#203
Brentwoodvolfan said:
Here ya go!!! enjoy
Zach Azzanni, who served as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Western Kentucky in 2011, is set to begin his first season as Wisconsin's wide receivers coach. Azzanni is a 13-year coaching veteran who has also coached at Florida, Central Michigan, Bowling Green and Valparaiso.

"Zach is a great fit for Wisconsin," Bielema said. "He is a terrific coach who stresses fundamentals and is also a great recruiter. His coaching philosophy, personality and character fit perfectly with what we do here and how we do it. I've known Zach for a number of years and I'm very excited to be able to add him to our staff."

With Azzanni directing the offense, Western Kentucky featured the nation's No. 2 rusher this season, Bobby Rainey. He averaged 141.3 rushing yards per game, running for 1,695 yards and 13 touchdowns. Behind Rainey, the Hilltoppers led the Sun Belt Conference in rushing offense. WKU tight end Jack Doyle was also the top receiving tight end in the Sun Belt and finished fifth among TEs in the country in receiving yards. Western Kentucky was 7-1 in the Sun Belt, finishing second to Arkansas State. That followed a 2-10 overall record in 2010. WKU improved its conference win total by five from 2010 to 2011, the biggest turnaround in Sun Belt history.

"My family and I are ecstatic about coming to Madison and joining the Badgers," Azzanni said. "I've known Coach Bielema for a number of years and I jumped at the opportunity to become a part of one of the Big Ten's best programs. I look forward to getting started and continuing the great tradition at Wisconsin."

Azzanni was hired at Florida following the 2009 regular season and coached in the Gators' appearance in the 2010 Sugar Bowl in which Tim Tebow ended his career with a personal-best 482 passing yards. He spent the 2010 season at Florida, coaching the Gator wide receivers and serving as the passing game coordinator. UF defeated Penn State in the Outback Bowl that season.

Prior to going to Gainesville, Azzanni spent three seasons as the assistant head coach and receivers coach at his alma mater, Central Michigan. Azzanni's 2009 wide receiver unit was one of the most prolific in the college football. Bryan Anderson established an NCAA mark with a catch in 53 consecutive games, while teammate Antonio Brown had a streak of 40 straight games with a catch. Anderson and Brown combined for 49 career touchdown receptions, tied for the top active duo in the country for scoring receptions. Anderson totaled more than 3,500 yards receiving in his career and Brown eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second time and surpassed 3,000-yard receiving for his career. Both receivers went on to sign NFL contracts, with Brown starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. This year Brown was named the Steelers' team MVP and earned a Pro Bowl selection after becoming first player in NFL history with at least 1,000 yards receiving (1,108) and at least 1,000 return yards (1,062) in the same season.

Prior to joining the Central Michigan Staff, Azzanni spent the previous six seasons at Bowling Green. He coached the wide receivers from 2003-06, leading a group that broke nearly every school receiving record. He coached Charles Sharon, the school's all-time leader in receptions (232), receiving yards (3,450) and touchdown catches (34). In 2004 he coached a group that produced four receivers with 1,000 yards receiving. Five of his receivers at Bowling Green went on to sign professional contracts.

Known for developing talent, Azzanni's 2004 receiving corp at Bowling Green was ranked third-best in the nation by Athlon Sports. His 2009 group was ranked ninth in the nation by the same publication, and helped him to be named college football's wide receiver coach of the year.

No stranger to success on the field as both a player and a coach, Azzanni has been part of nine teams that have either won conference championships or played in bowl games. As a player, he was part of the 1994 Central Michigan squad that won the Mid-American Conference championship and played in the Las Vegas Bowl. He also coached in the 2003 Motor City Bowl and 2004 GMAC Bowl at Bowling Green. He coached in two more Motor City Bowls at CMU in 2007 and 2008, and was part of the staffs at Florida for the 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl and 2011 Outback Bowl. Additionally, he coached conference championship teams at Valparaiso, BGSU and CMU.

He graduated with a degree in Sports Management in 1999 from Central Michigan. Azzanni and his wife, Julia, have two daughters: Ava and Lyla.

The Azzanni File
Hometown: Utica, Michigan
College: Central Michigan, 1999
Wife: Julia
Children: daughters, Ava and Lyla

Coaching Career
1999-2000: Valparaiso (Wide Receivers)
2001-02: Bowling Green State (Graduate Assistant, Offense)
2003-06: Bowling Green State (Wide Receivers)
2007-09: Central Michigan (Assistant Head Coach / Wide Receivers)
2010: Florida (Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator)
2011: Western Kentucky (Offensive Coordinator / Wide Receivers)
2012-present: Wisconsin (Wide Receivers)

Bowl Games Coached
2003 Motor City Bowl
2004 GMAC Bowl
2007 Motor City Bowl
2008 Motor City Bowl
2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl
2011 Outback Bowl

Playing Experience
1994-98: Central Michigan (Wide Receiver)
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^^^ There's real facts ^^^

Looks like an excellent WR coach to me based on that resume' and what most of the WR's he's coached have accomplished.

I have no idea if he's a really good recruiter or not and since it's normally more than 1 coach that talks to every recruit NOBODY here knows for certain either.

I'll take a really excellent position coach that the kids love and that makes NFL players out of our kids every time because great players help WIN games.

I think Mr Debbie Downer is just upset and butthurt that we didn't get the guy he really wanted so tough luck kid.

You're so smart that you don't even know the difference in YOUR and YOU'RE Mr know it all, LOL.

FACT is we'll have CBJ for at least 4 years or longer so either stop crying like a baby and support our coaches or LEAVE and go cheer for vandy!!!

All the constant bashing of our players and coaches DOES HURT our recruiting so be supportive or SHUT UP!!!

VFL...GBO!!!
 
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#206
#206
Why are people complaining ? At least it's not a Saban assistant right? And urbans Meyers assistants actually turn out to be winners ..... That's why I wanted strong so bad but I like butch, good hire in my opinion
 
#210
#210
VOLorNuttin said:
:blink: They do? Well, Butch Jones had better get a do-over and get Hinshaw in here, instead. He was the best recruiter we had.
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I am not sure that is true but even if it is... you cannot afford to have a coach who isn't both a good recruiter and good coach. Hinshaw did not show progress with the the QB's. The WR's actually regressed this year and fairly significantly except for ZR. More dropped balls. More mistakes. Sloppy routes.

Azzanni's reputation is that he's both an aggressive recruiter and a good coach. I guess we will see.
 
#211
#211
playaut0785 said:
I totally agree with you on CBJ and his "best coaching staff in the country" claim. He should of never said that. And, it would of been nice to get Tee cause he is a dynamic recruiter.
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Not being a smart azz but who besides the Ramsey kid has Tee recruited ? I mean recruiting at USC is like recruiting at Fla, it recruits itself. What stud did he recruit to Ky ?
 
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#212
#212
My problem with the whole thing is, Jones had to know at his press conferance that there was a really good chance that he would bring most of his staff from Cincy with him but he made it sound like he was going to conduct a national search for a staff and do his "due dilligence" to bring in the "best staff in the nation". What is due dilligence anyway? I have heard that term used a lot latley. If at his press conferance he had made some referance to bringing in some of his staff from Cincy it might not have seemed like he was misleading everyone.

When it became clear that Dooley would be let go, how many people if told our next head coach would be Butch Jones and most of his staff from Cincy would have been happy?
I don't think very many!
We did our "due dilligence" I guess.
 
#213
#213
InVOLuntary said:
Wonder why he's not with Urban now. OSU >>>>>>>Wisconsin? Serious??????
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Really? Wisconsin's recent history is pretty good. They've won the Big 10 the last 3 years... and they aren't on probation.

While Meyer was complimentary it does not appear that they have a real tight relationship. He also didn't follow Meyer to Utah... so it really isn't like either guy sees the other as critical to their personal success.


Did your last boss who quit your company (assuming you work or ever have) take you with them? How about the others? Do all bosses take everyone they like to their new job?

As a manager and someone who has changed jobs and someone who has actually brought managers with me to new jobs.... it seldom works. Just because you have "magic" in one place and situation does NOT mean you will in another.
 
#214
#214
What happened to diversity? And no, I'm not talking about the old wooden ship, I'm talking about having more Africonic Americans on staff, instead we got White boy Roy!?!?
 
#215
#215
Cyclopskiller said:
What happened to diversity? And no, I'm not talking about the old wooden ship, I'm talking about having more Africonic Americans on staff, instead we got White boy Roy!?!?
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We got 2 , I was wondering the same thing . But Dooley was the same way.
 
#216
#216
Those harping on this "best staff" comment are making a mountain out of mole hill.

If they win... then he can call them anything he wants.

If they lose... it doesn't matter anyway.

It was a statement of confidence not a guarantee that fans would get their itch for "star power" scratched.

Everyone was impressed when Kiffin assembled the "best staff ever" then heart broken when he took it almost intact to USC. That staff is currently a pretty ho-hum 32-18. Their performance at USC considering the talent level there is unimpressive.

Some of you are way too impressed with "shiny, glittering things".
 
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#218
#218
Press said:
My problem with the whole thing is, Jones had to know at his press conferance that there was a really good chance that he would bring most of his staff from Cincy with him but he made it sound like he was going to conduct a national search for a staff and do his "due dilligence" to bring in the "best staff in the nation". What is due dilligence anyway? I have heard that term used a lot latley. If at his press conferance he had made some referance to bringing in some of his staff from Cincy it might not have seemed like he was misleading everyone.

When it became clear that Dooley would be let go, how many people if told our next head coach would be Butch Jones and most of his staff from Cincy would have been happy?
I don't think very many!
We did our "due dilligence" I guess.
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I think people really don't understand and realize what it takes to jump in as new HC, get the family moved, find a staff, convince them & their families to move to a troubled program during a very short time frame with Bowls & Recruiting around the corner.

It's not like CBJ has 3-6 months to wade thru a list of the Top 100 Assistants. it may be different if we were Alabama, LSU , Georgia, Fla, Oregon or Kansas St but we're not. Honestly if we got Gundy, Golden or even Smart and they brought along most of their staff, there would be complainers about that.
 
#219
#219
sjt18 said:
Those harping on this "best staff" comment are making a mountain out of mole hill.

If they win... then he can call them anything he wants.

If they lose... it doesn't matter anyway.

It was a statement of confidence not a guarantee that fans would get their itch for "star power" scratched.

Everyone was impressed when Kiffin assembled the "best staff ever" then heart broken when he took it almost intact to USC. That staff is currently a pretty ho-hum 32-18. Their performance at USC considering the talent level there is unimpressive.

Some of you are way too impressed with "shiny, glittering things".
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good post.
 
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#222
#222
GLDunlap said:
You're right but he didn't so what's your point exactly?
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My point is that without Google, you know nothing about either coach, and even with Google, you have the slightest idea as to how he coaches players and how he relates to them.
Save your *****ing for when he gives you a reason to *****.
 
#224
#224
Cyclopskiller said:
What happened to diversity? And no, I'm not talking about the old wooden ship, I'm talking about having more Africonic Americans on staff, instead we got White boy Roy!?!?
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I'm still upset about the fact we have zero Asians or Inuits on staff...CBJ is already dropping the ball....
 
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#225
#225
GLDunlap said:
My timeline is right I know when he went to Wisconsin. Did Meyer call Azzanni when he was hired at TOSU? Nope and Bielema didn't take him to Arkansas.
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Your being negative now for the sake of being negative. Listen to your arguments and those that are countering. Your saying that its a push as far as relevancy of job titles are concerned from OC at Western Kentucky to WR coach at OSU?? Yeah, ok... What coach do you know of went from WR coach at a top tier school to OC at another top tier school?? It doesn't work like that and you know it. So to say that Meyer didn't want him is pure negative speculation and poor assuming on your part. I say that he was trying to improve his career by taking the next step, and he didn't want it. See how easy speculating and assuming can be??
 
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