Azzanni Departing to NFL

[jakez4ut]

But did Butch try to talk DeBord into staying?

Stripling stayed with the program in a different capacity so isn't like he was trying to "jump ship"

I think Jake's point is that no one has left that we really wanted to keep so for some of these guys to say "rats are jumping off the sinking ship" isn't accurate.

:thumbsup:

 

[Tuckervol1003]

Azzani was on Ainge's show today. Said that he wasn't looking to move on, was only wanting to try to help UT win a national title this year when the Bears called him out of nowhere and said his name kept coming up when the Bears were asking other SEC programs who they think is the best WR coach and who they'd recommend.....lol! I about bust a gut. Good luck to Z, but I'm calling major BS on what he told Ainge, ain't buying it for a second.

BS or not, I am not as convinced as others are that Azzanni was a weak coach. Personally, I think he has done a good job with Josh Malone and JaJuan Jennings. I don't think he can carry the blame for what happened with Pig Howard and Marquez North. The same could be said for Josh Smith and his injuries. I also think that Brandon Johnson, Tyler Byrd and Marquez Calloway all showed promise last year.

 

[Orange_Vol1321]

Do coaches fleeing, remind you of the Dooley years?
Yes, but back to back 9 win seasons, gives Jones a bit of a cushion and he may indeed need that cushion to make it through 2017, yes?

No, they were jumping ship during dooley. They are being let go under Butch for performance reasons.

 

[bignewt]

Or moving up to the NFL

 

[landscapingvol]

DeBord was not asked to leave. He left on his own to be closer to his family, no real conspiracy there or indictment of CBJ. DeBord leaving has literally nothing to do with UT other than location. As far as Stripling, you can't really blame CBJ for that either. It is clear he wanted to be in a different role. He could have easily found work at another university. Martinez and Mahoney were forced out. They needed to be forced out but you can criticize the fact that maybe they should have been asked to leave a couple seasons prior. That is a legitimate concern. You cannot claim that folks are fleeing a sinking ship when he upgraded with at least two of the positions: DB and Dline. He probably could have hired a more flashy OC but time will tell whether or not that was a good decision. If he makes a good hire at the wr position then you can't claim anything other than UT upgrading at several positions. You don't "bolt" to the NFL. The NFL for many coaches is something they dream of doing. If here were to take a job at a lesser school or a lateral move then you can make an argument for him fleeing, but not the NFL.

 

[KBVol]

BS or not, I am not as convinced as others are that Azzanni was a weak coach. Personally, I think he has done a good job with Josh Malone and JaJuan Jennings. I don't think he can carry the blame for what happened with Pig Howard and Marquez North. The same could be said for Josh Smith and his injuries. I also think that Brandon Johnson, Tyler Byrd and Marquez Calloway all showed promise last year.

When I heard former Vol WR greats (Kent and Swain) and others, complain publicly about many of the techniques Z was teaching that led to our WRs' general inability to get any separation and overall poor production, my ears perked up. Z hasn't produced a single 1,000 yard receiver in 4 years, nor has he had even a single WR drafted.....we'll see if Malone breaks that dubious 3 year streak.

I'm not saying it was all his fault, and even those who have criticized his coaching, have said he's a good dude and tireless worker. But let's be clear here....UT has been anything but Wide Receiver U in recent years and virtually no headway was made under Azzani the last 4 years to get us back there, despite bringing in 5 4-star and 2 5-star wide receivers. Our passing game has been a bit of a laughingstock under Azzani and Jones and it took 4 years to finally get us back into the top half of the SEC in passing (5th last year after averaging 10th in the conference the three previous seasons) and Azzani, as WR coach and passing game coordinator, had a big hand in all the futility.


Edit: why shouldn't he receive any blame abd responsibility for the development of his players, Pig and North? And if you absolve him of any critcism there, then don't give him any credit for the performances of Jennings and Malone. It all counts.

 

[VOLnMiami]

Kippy Brown, come on down

I wouldn't be upset about that hire but I highly doubt he is coming back after the last time he was here...No need to jump on a sinking ship again.

 

[LWSVOL]

But did Butch try to talk DeBord into staying?

Stripling stayed with the program in a different capacity so isn't like he was trying to "jump ship"

I think Jake's point is that no one has left that we really wanted to keep so for some of these guys to say "rats are jumping off the sinking ship" isn't accurate.

and I don't think it was that.. they wanted to leave coaching staff for different reasons. Mike truly wanted to retire and sure he and Butch discussed it many months ago.. How much only they know. Strip wanted out of coaching and he will help program in new role. But Butch did not encourage either of them to leave like he has others.

 

[LWSVOL]

Deboard wasn't coming back, though going to IU was a bit of a curve ball, strip is still on the staff.

CZA is still the only that really looks like "he bolted" is what i'm getting at.

it's still far from folks running from a burning building.

agree

 

[Wylo]

Sounds like someone else has been teaching him how to interview.

I just can't believe Azzani said that and expects us all to believe that's true.

Yeah, noooooooobody on this staff says things that aren't true. Heh.

He learned it from the master.

 

[orange_glory]

Sorry if this was mentioned earlier in the thread but will Z owe us money for leaving? Do the Bears pay that?