Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University football coach Willie Taggart has made two new additions to his coaching staff with the hiring of Zach Azzanni and Alonzo Hampton. Azzanni will serve as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, while Hampton will coach defensive backs.
 Azzanni comes to the Hill from the University of Florida, where he spent the 2010 season coaching the Gator wide receivers. Prior to going to Gainesville, he spent three seasons as the assistant head coach and receivers coach at his alma mater, Central Michigan.
 Azzanni's 2009 wide receiver unit was one of the most prolific in the college football. Bryan Anderson established an NCAA mark with a catch in 53 consecutive games, while teammate Antonio Brown has a streak of 40 straight games with a catch. Anderson and Brown combined for 49 career touchdown receptions, tied for the top active duo in the country for scoring receptions. Anderson has totaled more than 3,500 yards receiving in his career and Brown eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second time and surpassed 3,000-yard receiving for his career.
 Prior to joining the Central Michigan Staff, Azzanni spent the previous six seasons at Bowling Green. He coached the wide receivers from 2003-06, leading a group that broke nearly every school receiving record. He coached Charles Sharon; the school's all-time leader in receptions (232), receiving yards (3,450) and touchdown catches (34). In 2004 he coached a group that produced four receivers with 1,000 yards receiving. Five of his receivers at Bowling Green went on to sign professional contracts.
 He graduated with a degree in Sports Management in 1999 from Central Michigan. Azzanni and his wife, Julia, have two daughters: Ava and Lyla.
 Hampton joins the Hilltopper staff after spending five seasons at Arkansas-Pine Bluff - including serving as defensive coordinator last season. Hampton joined the UAPB football staff in 2006 where he assisted with coaching defensive backs. In 2007, he was named corner backs coach, and in 2008 he took over the entire secondary unit as he was named defensive backs coach. Hampton's secondary unit garnered national attention in 2008 as the Golden Lions ranked in the Top 30 in the NCAA FCS Division in Pass Efficiency Defense (8th), Pass Defense (17th), and Passes Intercepted (29th). Additionally, UAPB ranked 1st in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in Passing Defense allowing just 160.9 yards per game.
 Hampton played collegiality at Louisiana-Monroe where he was a member of the football and track and field team. While at ULM he was named team captain in 1996 and was chosen to the All-Louisiana Defensive Back Team in 1996.
 His professional career includes stints with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars and the NFL Europe's Frankfurt Galaxy where he started at cornerback in the World Bowl in 1998 and 1999.
 Hampton holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from ULM and a Master's Degree in Teaching from the University of Arkansas-Monticello. He and his wife Yolanda have two children, Ashton and Alonzo Jr
 The additions to the coaching staff have also resulted in a shift in coaching responsibilities for WKU on the offensive side of the ball. Terry Obee, who sent his first season on the Hill coaching wide receivers in 2010, will now serve as running backs coach, and Taggart will now take over the responsibility of coaching the quarterbacks.
 The Hilltoppers open spring practice on March 21, with the annual spring game slated for April 16. The 2011 season will get underway on Thursday, Sept. 1, when WKU faces off with Kentucky at L.P. Field in Nashville. For 2011 football ticket information, contact the WKU Athletic ticket office at 1-800-5 BIG RED.
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