Azzinaro Heading Down Right Path

[dthomas=ddixon]

http://oregon.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1052024

[greenyellow]

Getting only 1 out of 9 DTs in and contributing is a pretty poor recruiting job and a good reason why Gray was let go. Hopefully Azz can get DT recruiting going and make a strength in a couple of years.

[nehalem]

I also hope that he, or at least somebody, makes future DT prospects aware of what
he's been able to do so far with an undersized and undermanned defensive line.

[bigfootlebowski]

seems like the article is putting a positive spin on the situation...given we are starting in the top 10 next year with a real shot at the NC, we should have had no problem picking up top d-linemen and except for Heimuli we whiffed...lets hope he develops quickly and decides to stay after his first year...I think Azz is a good coach but dline is the only real dissapointment of the recruiting cycle...

[RanDux]

Wow, only 1 of the 9 signees from the previous 3 years still in the program. Ouch!

[woundedknees]

That's part of the reason some of us kept saying that it wasn't lack of recruiting effort that put us in the situation the Ducks currently find themselves in.

Having that many guys fail to qualify, in addition to the attrition that took place, was an absolute killer.

Failure to recognize some of the academic issues was ridiculous.

The really sad thing is that several top players who were very interested in Oregon were passed over in favor of non-qualifiers such as Fili and Wade (USC standout, Christian Tupou, comes to mind... His brother, Fenuki, was a DUCK.)