The Pittsburgh Steelers made a wave of coaching hires last week, adding Tom Arth as their new QBs coach, Zach Azzanni as their new WRs coach, and Mataeo Kambui as their new offensive assistant. I spent most of that time focusing on Arth, outlining his background and what he’ll bring to the Steelers. Josh Carney did a great job detailing Azzanni and how he’ll benefit the team.
With a couple of days gone by since then, I wanted to circle back to Azzanni to find any additional details and to get a feel for him as a coach before I get to see (and hear) him at training camp come late July. As Josh outlined, Azzanni is a tough coach who is hard on his players to bring the best out of them. Those stories were told by those he’s coached. Digging deeper into finding video evidence, I put together a compilation of clips on Azzanni created and shared during his time as the Tennessee Volunteers’ wide receiver coach, a position he served from 2013 to 2016 before jumping to the NFL.
The editing is slightly choppy as I compiled the most meaningful parts across several videos. But the point is, pay attention to Azzanni’s clear coaching style. That’s the key.
If you’re interested, here is one of the longer videos I pulled, but a quick YouTube search will pull up several more.
Some Zach Azzanni quotes from those clips that really stuck out:
“Our standards are very high, are they not? That’s what we like. Our standards are very high. And I’m going to be very, very demanding on that stuff. Remember, take your sensitive pill if it’s time to go outside. It’s football. It’s a tough game. You’re going to get coached tough. You’re going to get coached hard.”
“They’re never going to leave here and say, ‘Man, I wish they would’ve pushed me harder.’ I promise you that.”
“Flat-footed corner. Please play Cover 2 on a run play. That’s what you should be thinking. Please play Cover 2. Because I’m going to put my helmet right under your chin and split your face open.”
“We’re going to coach them hard. We’re going to love them hard. That’s the only way I know how to do. They know, deep down, no one has their back like me.”
“Don’t jump, you’re 6-9. Don’t jump.”
“You’re a run-sideways guy. You run a 4.9. You better get vertical. That’s your only chance of getting yards there, Sunshine.”
After a receiver took too long to break down at the top of his route on a curl.
“Too many steps. That’s why you didn’t get to the ball. Too many steps. It’s 1-2. Big-timers can 1-2 it, man.”
A conversation with a receiver about his inside release. Azzanni asking, the player responding.
“Where am I aiming?
In there.
Where’s in there?
Inside, inside shoulder.
Thank you.”
Standards high. Coaching hard. But also making sure players know you have their back. And that’s at the college level. Sure, some college players need to be coached extra because they’re less mature with a game still growing. But at the NFL – this is the one percent. This is professional football. And the standards and expectations are even higher. It’s no surprise to hear former NFL players butt heads with Azzanni at first.
I also liked Azzanni consistently talking about the “big-time” receivers. That’s setting a standard. Even though most receivers won’t become elite guys, it’s what all players should strive to be. To work toward. Azzanni consistently sends that message. It may need to be tweaked at the NFL level, but it can still apply to younger and backup receivers trying to ascend.
I really liked the last interaction I spelled out, one of the final clips of the above video. Azzanni is looking for specific information. When the receiver says “in there,” even though he’s right, he’s not being specific. He’s giving a vague answer. Azzanni doesn’t accept it and asks him again. Then the receiver says “insider shoulder,” the precise answer.
It’s no wonder why Azzanni was the hire. The Steelers needed someone to hold this receiver room accountable. To not tolerate the BS and antics that went on. That’s not to bury WRs Coach Frisman Jackson and say he didn’t attempt to do that but watching him at camp and in interviews compared to these clips of Azzanni, he wasn’t nearly as fiery. The Steelers’ receivers need a coach who will kick these guys in the butt when needed. To make sure George Pickens is running his routes to the proper depth. To make sure the group is giving top effort, which fits with OC Arthur Smith’s need for his receivers to block and get involved downfield.
Tough love. That’s what Azzanni is bringing. That’s what the Steelers need.
