Jerry Azzinaro
This Lifetime Achievement Award honors Jerry's contributions to Tottenville High School football's program through his unselfish commitment in providing his time, insight, knowledge and experience to its coaching staff. His collegiate recruiting visits to Staten Island included exchanges of current coaching philosophies with all Staten Island coaching staffs; his attendence at coaches' clinics have enhanced and improved Staten Island high school football.
While at Tottenville High School, Jerry Azzinaro was a two year, two way starter on the football team as well as a member of the wrestling team. Upon graduation in 1976, Jerry attended American International College where he continued playing football as a linebacker during which in his senior year, he led the team in tackles. He received an undergraduate degree in Psychology in 1981 and a Master's degree in Educational Psychology in 1985.
His storied coaching career started in 1982 as a graduate assistant football coach at American International College. From there, he went on to coach at Westfield State and West New ENgland University before returning to his alma mater AIC's football program from 1987-1991 as a defensive coordinator. The following year, he moved on to the University of Massachusetts as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator and was promoted to the team's defensive coordinator in 1994.
Boston College was next where Jerry served as their defensive line coach before returning to UMass in 1997 as their defensive coordinator. Coaching positions at the University of Maine, Syracuse University, Duke University, the University of New Hampshire and Marshall University followed leading to Jerry's positions at the University of Oregon in 2009 where he became the defensive line coach for a program that produced a 46-7 won-lost record and appeared in four BCS bowl games in four consecutive seasons.
Jerry's coaching success led to his 2013 assignment and current position as the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line/assistant head coach.