Aazaar Abdul-Rahim Has a Passion for People, Then Football
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)
Publisher
UMass allowed 52.7 points and 561.2 yards per game in 2019. The Minutemen went 1-11. It was Aazaar Abdul-Rahim's first and only season as co-defensive coordinator.
"I learned a lot through that," Abdul-Rahim said after letting out a chuckle during Monday's Boston College media day. "I think you learn more from those types of adverse situations."
Abdul-Rahim, now in his third year at BC, is the Eagles' defensive backs coach and associate head coach. Known as "Coach Aazaar" by everyone in the program, Abdul-Rahim considers himself a "lifelong learner."
He's not consumed by his own pride. In fact, he believes it's a "blessing" that he has a head coach in Jeff Hafley who is a defensive back guru with seven years of NFL coaching experience. While some assistants are disgruntled by a head coach who used to coach their position, Abdul-Rahim welcomes and embraces Hafley's intellect.
"I'm fortunate to be able to have any question I want answered at the drop of a dime," Abdul-Rahim said. "And Haf is great because he doesn't push anything on me.
"I think you definitely have to humble yourself. Don't take yourself so serious that you can't take a suggestion from someone who has accomplished what he's accomplished."'
There's a mutual respect between Hafley and Abdul-Rahim, who Hafley promoted to associate head coach in 2021 after Abdul-Rahim received a Power Five DC offer that offseason. When BC's third-ranked pass defense from 2021 was brought up Monday, Hafley deferred credit to Abdul-Rahim.
"I know everybody wants to point to my DB background, but let's point to Aazaar," Hafley said. "He spends the most time with those guys. He runs the drills, he's in the meetings. He's a really good football coach."
Hafley, speaking passionately, continued: "I know he gets a lot of credit for recruiting. And I kind of felt like early in my career, that's all everybody wanted to talk about. I think he's a better coach than he is a recruiter. So I think that says a lot about him."
Hafley emphasized that he doesn't feel like he has to be in the defensive back meeting room in order to be comfortable with where the position group is heading.
He trusts Abdul-Rahim.
Back in 2020, when the program was coming off an abysmal defensive season—in which Steve Addazio's Eagles ranked 122nd nationally in passing yards allowed—Hafley and Abdul-Rahim crafted a shared vision of what they wanted BC's secondary to look like, both initially and in the future.
That defensive back blueprint included ideal size, length, speed, coverage, ability, toughness and everything in between—most notably character.
"They've gotta fit in, be BC-type kids," Hafley said. "But you can see we've brought in a lot of DBs that I think have a chance to be really good players. And we have some vets here that I think he's developed into really good players."
Hafley referenced cornerbacks Elijah Jones and Josh DeBerry as examples of players who have made significant strides under Abdul-Rahim. Jones posted the eighth-best Pro Football Focus coverage grade (75.8) of any ACC corner last season, and DeBerry was even better. The do-it-all DeBerry, who moved to nickel in 2021, ranks fourth nationally among returning corners in PFF defensive grade (82.2).
As a whole, BC's back end has completely transformed since Hafley and Abdul-Rahim took over. The Eagles allowed 173.5 passing yards per game in 2021—112 fewer per game than they conceded during 2019. What's more, BC was tied for 16th in the country in fewest passing touchdowns allowed (14) and tied for 27th in the FBS in opponent completion percentage (57.9%) last season.
Although Abdul-Rahim flies under the radar as a coach, his recruiting prowess is well documented: first at Maryland and now at BC. The Eagles have had five four-star signees or commits so far in the first three recruiting cycles of the Hafley era. Of those five, three have been defensive backs (CJ Burton, Sione "Riz" Hala and Antonio Cotman Jr.).
Abdul-Rahim, a Washington, D.C. native, has leaned on his DMV roots, and it's paid off. BC has created a pipeline with Baltimore powerhouse St. Frances Academy, where not only Burton played but so did true freshman offensive lineman Jude Bowry and Class of 2023 defensive end commit Brian Simms III.
Abdul-Rahim has also helped bring in valuable transfers, such as safeties Deon Jones (2020) and Jaiden Woodbey (2021). Woodbey remembers meeting Abdul-Rahim. He said his father and Abdul-Rahim hit it off immediately.
"He has some sayings and stuff that my dad used to tell me as a kid a lot," Woodbey said of Abdul-Rahim. "And certain, not mannerisms, but like, certain ways he would say things. I was like, 'Hm, my dad used to say that stuff, too. Like, dang, my dad used to tell me that all the time.'
Woodbey joked: "I was like, man, my dad must know what he's talking about if a DI coach is saying the same thing."
As a former guidance counselor with a master's in counseling and an undergraduate major in psychology, Abdul-Rahim understands the importance of relationships. Put simply, he enjoys people.
"I think I have a passion for people more than I have a passion for the sport of football, but I love what football brings," Abdul-Rahim said.
Before Abdul-Rahim entered the college ranks as a defensive analyst with Alabama in 2014, he was the head coach of Friendship Collegiate Academy, leading a program he founded in 2004. He quickly built a winning culture that resulted in 62 wins, plus a District of Columbia State Athletic Association championship, all while helping more than 100 students earn scholarships to play at the next level.
This summer, Abdul-Rahim—the CEO of Positive Choices, Inc., a non-profit designed to help youth through athletics, academics and art education—led the 18th annual Youth Football Clinic at Deanwood Recreation Center in Northeast Washington. More than 300 kids, ranging from first through eighth grade, attended the free event.
Abdul-Rahim believes in the "neck up coaching" of players. That means he focuses on how his guys can be the best version of themselves, not just as football players but as people.
"I think that's a great approach for any coach," Woodbey said. "Because I don't think people understand that when you're a coach, you're a coach in life. You're not just coaching on the field. You're coaching off the field as well. And I feel like he does a great job of that. So I'm glad that he's our coach, and he's our DB coach."
Abdul-Rahim is humble. Except maybe when it comes to "Dominoes," which he plays with a few of his defensive backs every Friday night before gameday.
But he relishes most in how connected his players are. They make up what he calls the "jungle": an animalistic rallying cry on how to play shut down defense on the back end. It's predicated on territorial ferocity.
Simultaneously, though, BC's secondary is a group that knows how to flip the switch and nurture a family-like atmosphere off the field.
"I feel like we're such a tight unit," Abdul-Rahim said. "Even with the recruiting, like when another defensive back comes up, they're the first one to take them out, take them around, just make them feel at home. And I think that's helped us tremendously."
Hafley knows it's his job as head coach to help his assistants, like Abdul-Rahim, grow as coaches. Since Abdul-Rahim has arrived at BC, he said he's learned how to prepare better. Not only that, but he's also achieved a better understanding of the front seven. And he's seen just how beneficial delegation, both from a head coaching and coordinator level, can be for a program.
Abdul-Rahim feels like he'll be a much-improved DC if given the right opportunity. Hafley wants his associate head coach to get that chance.
"A guy like Aazaar, I want him to be a coordinator, and I want to help him be a coordinator."
Hafley went one step further.
"I want him to be a head coach."
