Arezzo Brings Pass-Rush Talents to Front Line

Senior defensive lineman Dario Arezzo is still smarting from the way the Red ended the 2007 season — a 45-9 loss to Penn in which the defense gave up 449 yards, 329 of which were rushing yards.
“It wasn’t a good game to go out on,” Arezzo said.
Known primarily for his pass rushing and ability to penetrate the offensive line, Arezzo tallied 3.5 sacks for a total loss of 17 yards last season. Of his 26 total tackles, 7.5 were were registered in the backfield. Arezzo’s penchant for pressuring the quarterback will come in handy this season as the Red attempts to patch up a leaky pass defense that allowed 2,034 passing yards.
“He’ll change directions, make himself small and find the cavity,” said associate defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Pete DeStefano. “He’s going to make some big plays for us this year.”
As a highly touted prospect at Christian Brothers Academy in North Syracuse, N.Y., Arezzo was recruited by several high-caliber football programs, including Rutgers and Arizona State. Arezzo, however, chose Cornell.
“It was close to home,” Arezzo said, “and I wanted to go to a school where the education is actually as good as the football, so I felt that Cornell was my best bet as far as having the best of both worlds.”
Arezzo has only matured with time.
“He’s gotten stronger, he’s gotten very good instincts,” DeStefano said. “He’s not a big physical kid, but he plays with a high motor. He just runs around all the time. He’s a count-on guy; you put him in and know he’s going to do the right thing and he’s going to give you the best effort he can.”