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Eugene, Oregon --Aug 7, 2009
Overcast
and just a sprinkle of rain for the first day of preseason camp for
the 2009 Oregon Ducks football team.
It seemed a good start and
Jerry Azzinaro lives up to his "firey" reputation witnessed first
hand.
According to previous news releases coach Azzinaro has had 25
years of practice yelling..Go coach!.
---What they are saying on
the internet---:
"The assistant football coach's voice (Coach Jerry
Azzinao) echoed throughout Joan C. Edwards Stadium, and that's after practice had
ended."
"I DON'T DO INTERVIEWS!''
Jerry Azzinaro, Marshall's defensive line coach, boomed when informed he
was on the post-practice media request list.
It's a running joke, says
MU sports information director Randy Burnside. Azzinaro proclaims - loudly
- he won't grant an interview. And then proceeds to do so..That he does is
fortunate for Burnside and the Marshall program. See, Azzinaro is starting
to become a state folk hero in much the same way as similarly loud Bill
Kirelawich is at WVU.
Both men get on
their defensive linemen with gusto during practice. Afterward, though,
they embrace the players. Azzinaro simply does so with a Staten Island
accent.
Ask the Marshall coach how he keeps his voice strong after
two-plus hours of yelling. You'll get the answer as well as a peek inside
the heart."
"I've had 25 years of
practice,'' Azzinaro said. "But it's easy when you have a group of guys
like this that like to work. That's the most important
thing.''
"Azz is just what Oregon needed from D.line coach, a
good teacher, a fired up personality. Azz's voice can be heard most
all practice long , that voice : ) it is SURE TO get your
attention."
"(Azzinaro) has a lot of enthusiasm, but he doesn't put
anybody down,'' said Montgomery, who said he has learned a lot in the past
few weeks about stance and striking. "He's really passionate about it, and
he really wants you to get it. He just brings a lot of
technique.''
"One guy didnt get the memo to chill out, though.
While head coach Chip Kelly and defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti were
already nursing hoarse voices, first-year defensive line coach Jerry
Azzinaro provided no reprieve to his vocal chords. The intensity was
written in Azzinaro's face even afterward, his eyes still ablaze as most
everybody else was still rubbing sleep from theirs.
Individually, does
running to the ball become second nature? Hopefully by the eighth or ninth
practice I'm not chasing them to the ball, they're running to the ball.
I'm too old to be doing that".
"After a day off Thursday, the Ducks
return to practice today. Azzinaro's vocal chords are in for some more
punishment."
"sure. for starters he is a workaholic like chip. he
is a real fired up guy if your anywhere around the practice field it is
his booming voice that you hear over everything else. the players LOVE
him. He coached Dwight Freeney while at syracuse."
"Azzinaro came
to Oregon this season from Marshall, though he has been a coach for years,
and coached such greats as Dwight Freeney while he was at Syracuse.
Azzinaro coaches like a man possessed, and he demands hard work and
constant energy from his
players."
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Simi Toeaina assured me he was the man
this year as he entered the field, He appears to be leaner and meaner
and ready for the season.
Nate Costa is going to throw the ball
"that's what I'm good at" he says.
Masoli looked sharp..
The
Ducks by all appearances gain some very good talent this year especially
with the WR, TE, CB, DT, OT, and LB positions.
I'm sure there
is more to come.
Briefly talked with Morgan Flint and he assured me
there is some kicking competition and it was going to be interesting,
he's from my part of the state.. Bend, Oregon..
Dior Mathis
(CB prospect) came on the field.. did attend the practice and met
with coach Kelly for a few minutes on the
field.
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