Wasn't Azzi the go-to-player last year when she was healthy during that six game stretch when they played teams like Texas, NC State, Duke and Iowa? So you are referencing the one game for CD and not including the 6 that Azzi was terrific before the ND injury?
Below Geno saying in pratice get the ball to Azzi (among a very few others).
Chris Dailey was on a video (which I can't find) that she was saying she is surprised when Azzi misses.
And we saw the 1st 6 games of last year what she did.
Why
(1) dismiss the games when she was healthy along with
(2) what the coaching staff contunues to say about her and
(3) what they are working at evidently in practices?
It's the combo of 1,2 and 3. Why dismiss the sum?
So, imo rather than the point you make about "realization;" many us see this as a "misperception."