Football
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
Jerry Azzinaro joined the Bruin coaching staff in December, 2017 as the defensive coordinator. He has coached for 38ย seasons at the collegiate and professional levels.ย The fiveย previous seasons he coached the defensive line at California in 2017 andย in the NFL with Philadelphia (2013-15) and San Francisco (2016). He served on staffs under Coach Chip Kelly at the University of Oregon from 2009-12 and again during his stints with the Eagles and 49ers.
In 2021, UCLA's run defense finished theย season rated No. 2 in the Pac-12 Conference and 23rdย nationally (124.2 yards/g). It marked the fourth straight season in which the opponent rushing defense numbers had fallen. UCLA held five opponents under 100 yards rushing during theย season - each wins. The Bruins ranked second in the league in sacks and were third in the Pac-12 in both turnovers gained andย turnover margin (0.67).
In the 2020 season, the Bruins led the Pac-12 in lowest rushing yards per carry allowed (3.6 yards), sacks/game (3.3) and in interceptions (9). The 3.29 sacks per game average ranked eighth in the nation. UCLAย improved to sixthย overall in the conference inย total defense and second in rushing defense (135.7-also 30th in the nation). Points allowed and yards per game allowedย each went down whileย turnovers gained per contestย went up. The 3.6 yards per rush allowed mark was UCLA's lowest since 2007. UCLA rated 34th nationally in tackles for loss per game (6.9). Defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa was a consensus all-conference selection. Linebacker Caleb Johnson led the team in tackles (44) and rated third in the Pac-12, 27th in the nation,ย in sacks (0.79). Defensive backs Stephan Blaylock, Elijah Gates and Jay Shawย tied for second in the league in interceptions (2).
In year two at UCLA, the rush defense knocked off almost a 0.5 yard/carry off the average of the previous season. The number of quarterback sacks increased from 11ย to 26 over a year's time. Blaylock ranked 18th nationally in solo tackles/game (5.4) and linebacker Krys Barnes ranked among the Pac-12 leaders in tackles for loss and pass defenses. The linebacker trio ofย ย Barnes, Lokeni Toailoa and Leni Toailoaย each produced career-best numbers in tackles for loss and tackles --- combining for a total of 161 stops and 23.5 tackles for loss on the year.ย
In his first season with the Bruins, the defense produced improved numbers in average gain per rush allowed (down over a yard per carry), total offense yards allowed per game (down by almost 40 yards per game), turnovers forced (+5) and points per game allowed. Safety Adarius Pickett finished fourth in the Pac-12 in tackles (10.2 per game) and ranked 19th in the nation.
In 2017 at California, the Golden Bears' defense showed gains across the board in the Pac-12 team rankings from the previous season. The margin in scoring defense was lowered by over 14 points, almost 100 yards per game was sliced off the total defense and rushing defense averages, the turnover margin increased and the red zone defense percentage shrunk by over 10 percent.
Azzinaro has coached four first-round NFL Draft picks during his career - Arik Armstead (No. 17 by San Francisco, 2015), DeForest Buckner (No. 7 by San Francisco, 2016), Dwight Freeney (No. 11 by Indianapolis, 2002) and Dion Jordan (No. 3 by Miami, 2013).
Azzinaro's three years in Philadelphia began with a playoff season, an NFC East title and a 10-6 regular-season record that was a six-game turnaround from 2012. The Eagles tied for third in the NFL with 31 takeaways that season.
During his four years at Oregon, the Ducks played in BCS bowls each season and in the BCS National Championship Game following the 2010 campaign. Oregon also won conference titles in each of his first three seasons and posted an overall record of 46-7.
Oregon led the conference in sacks twice (2009, '11) and tackles for loss once (2010) during Azzinaro's tenure that began in 2009 when the Ducks paced the Pac-10 and ranked tied for 14th nationally in sacks (36.0, 2.77 spg).
In 2010, the Ducks won their first 12 games before falling to Auburn in the BCS National Championship Game. Oregon led the Pac-10 and ranked seventh nationally in tackles for loss (97.0, 7.46 tackles for loss/g) while finishing second in the conference and 12th nationally in scoring defense (18.7 ppg).
Oregon led the Pac-12 and ranked fifth nationally in sacks (45.0, 3.21 sacks/g) in 2011 when the Ducks finished 12-2 overall and defeated Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
His final season at Oregon in 2012 ended with a Fiesta Bowl victory and a 12-1 record as the Ducks led the nation in takeaways (40) and turnover margin (1.62).
Azzinaro also has had three previous stints as a defensive coordinator, first at American International College (1987-91), then at the University of Massachusetts (1994, 1997) and at Duke (2004-06). He began his career as a graduate assistant on defense at his alma mater American International College (1982-84) and has also had stops at Westfield State (1985), Western New England (1986), Massachusetts (1992-93), Boston College (1995-96), Maine (1998) and Syracuse (1999-2003).
Azzinaro played linebacker at American International College (1978-81) and led his team in tackles as a 1981 senior. He received his bachelor's degree from the school in psychology in 1982 and his master's in educational psychology in 1985.
Azzinaro (pronounced: as-an-arrow) is married to Alison Rourke.
