Vols T logoKNOXVILLE – Butch Jones finished his first week as Tennessee’s head football coach by filling the final opening on his coaching staff and earning his first verbal commitment.
Tennessee announced the hire of Zach Azzanni as its receivers coach and recruiting coordinator on Sunday evening, shortly after Florida athlete Lemond Johnson flipped his verbal commitment from Auburn to the Volunteers.
The 36-year-old Azzanni was the receivers coach at Wisconsin this season. He had two stints with current Ohio State coach Urban Meyer at Bowling Green as a graduate assistant (2001-02) and Florida as the receivers coach and passing game coordinator (2010). Jones’ tie to Azzanni came at Central Michigan, where Azzanni was his receivers coach and assistant head coach with the Chippewas for his three seasons as head coach.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Coach Azzanni and his family into the Tennessee football family and to what is historically known as ‘Wide Receiver U.,'” Jones said in Tennessee’s release. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of developing receivers into reaching their full potential on and off the field. As a recruiter, his relentless approach and diligence will pay dividends for us as we work to attract the caliber of student-athlete here.”
Azzanni played receiver at Central Michigan and began his coaching career at Valparaiso before Meyer gave him his chance at Bowling Green. After Meyer left for Utah, Azzanni became a full-time assistant for the Falcons for four seasons until Jones hired him in 2007. Once Jones left for Cincinnati, Azzanni joined Meyer at Florida for a season and spent 2011 as the offensive coordinator and receivers coach at Western Kentucky for one season before joining the Badgers’ staff.