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Women's Tennis
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Staff Directory
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Jerry Azzinaro
- Title:
- Co-Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
- Email:
- Phone:
- (919) 684-2635
Jerry Azzinaro is in his third year as a member of the Duke coaching staff, serving as co-defensive coordinator. Azzinaro, who coaches the outside linebackers, joined the Blue Devils prior to the 2004 campaign after serving the previous four seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Syracuse.
Blue Devil head coach Ted Roof and Azzinaro worked together in 1994 at the University of Massachusetts.
The Duke defense, co-coordinated by Azzinaro and Scott Brown, brings back seven starters from last year’s unit including John Talley, a first team All-ACC cornerback, and Michael Tauiliili, the league’s Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 as selected by The Sporting News. Duke’s defensive front will be guided by a pair of seniors in tackle Casey Camero and end Eli Nichols. Camero has started 25 career games while logging 101 career tackles while Nichols, a second team Academic All-America pick, has paced the Blue Devils in quarterback sacks in each of the past two seasons.
This season, Azzinaro will direct a group that includes rush end Patrick Bailey and outside linebacker Codey Lowe. Last year Bailey finished fourth on the team in tackles with 52 despite missing three games due to injury while Lowe has 63 career tackles in two seasons.
After spending his first two years as the defensive ends coach at Syracuse, Azzinaro welcomed the tackles to his ranks, in addition to his duties as recruiting coordinator, prior to the 2001 campaign. During that season Azzinaro guided Syracuse’s Dwight Freeney to finalist recognition for the Lombardi Award, Nagurski and Bednarik Trophies, in addition to consensus All-America honors. A two-time unanimous All-BIG EAST selection, Freeney earned the 2001 BIG EAST co-Defensive Player of the Year Award. Freeney was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week four times during the 2001 campaign. Azzinaro’s defensive line collected 29 of the team’s 40 sacks, including Freeney’s NCAA, BIG EAST and SU single-season record 17.5 sacks. Azzinaro’s crew also collected 62 tackles for loss and forced 10 fumbles, recovering eight.
Prior to his appointment at Syracuse, Azzinaro spent four years coaching in the collegiate ranks in New England. In 1998, he was the defensive line coach at the University of Maine, after serving as the defensive coordinator for the University of Massachusetts in 1997. Azzinaro spent the 1995 and 1996 seasons in The BIG EAST Conference as the defensive line coach for Boston College, where he tutored four linemen who signed NFL contracts.
From 1992 through 1994, Azzinaro was the linebackers, in addition to serving as recruiting coordinator, at Massachusetts. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1994. Azzinaro’s Massachusetts defensive unit was one of the top defenses in the Yankee Conference in 1994, ranking second in rushing defense and total defense.
Azzinaro has coached in two bowl games ? the 1999 Music City Bowl and the 2001 Insight.com Bowl.
Azzinaro started his coaching career at American International College as a graduate assistant in 1982-83 and earned his master’s in educational psychology in 1985. He landed his first coaching position at Westfield State College, where he served as an assistant coach in 1985. In 1986 he was the head coach at Western New England College in Springfield, Mass.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Azzinaro played collegiate football at American International College, leading the team in tackles as a linebacker in 1980. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology in 1981. Azzinaro is married to Alison Rourke.
Vincent Anthony Jr. Postgame: Tulane
Sunday, September 14
Coach Diaz Postgame: Tulane
Saturday, September 13
Kieran Hall Postgame Vs. Virginia
Friday, September 12
Coach Diaz Media Availability: Tulane
Wednesday, September 10
