Randy
Fichtner is in
his third season coaching the Steelers’ wide receivers. He joins the Steelers after
serving the previous six seasons at the University of Memphis. Fichtner was
hired by Mike Tomlin on Jan. 29, 2007, to coach the team’s wide receivers.
Fichtner’s receiving core had an
excellent season in 2008 as Hines Ward topped 1,000 yards (1,043) for the fifth
time in his career, and Santonio Holmes was named MVP of Super Bowl XLIII after
catching nine passes for 131 yards (14.6 avg.), including the game-winning
touchdown reception with 35 seconds remaining in the fourth
quarter.
Under the tutelage of Fichtner, Ward and
Holmes matched their reception total from 2006 (123), while increasing their TD
catches from eight in 2006 to 15 in 2007.
Fichtner, who
instituted the spread offense at Memphis, was an integral part of the Tiger
football team for six years. He was hired in 2001 to serve as the offensive
coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and his offense re-wrote the Memphis record
book for six seasons.
Under Fichtner’s
direction, former Tiger quarterback Danny Wimprine emerged as one of the top
passers in Conference-USA in 2003.
In 2004, the Tiger
offense received much attention heading into the season with a veteran
quarterback, an All-American running back in DeAngelo Williams, a seasoned
offensive line and a deep receiving corps. That offense lived up to the billing
and finished the year ranked ninth nationally in total offense, and 10th in the
nation in scoring.
In 2005, Fichtner’s talent
was heavily tested as the Tigers lost their two starting quarterbacks by the
third game of the season. Fichtner had to make adjustments and instructed true
freshman Billy Barefield, who ledMemphis to an upset win over UTEP, and then
shifted to leading receiver Maurice Avery, who led the Tigers to a 5-2 record
and a Motor City Bowl victory as the starting quarterback.
Fichtner was a part of
unprecedented offensive success at Memphis that has also contributed to the Tigers
playing in three straight bowl games from 2003-05.
The
2002 squad set a record for total offense with 4,258 yards, and then the 2003
team shattered that mark with 5,779 yards of total offense. In 2004, the Tigers
amassed 5,524 yards of total offense to rank second all-time. The 2004 Tigers
also set school records in points scored with 430 and in passing touchdowns with
25.
Fichtner
was no stranger to
Memphis
when he joined the staff in 2001. He
had previously served as an assistant for the Tigers. Prior to his second stint
at
Memphis , Fichtner spent four years (1997-2000)
at
Arkansas
State
University
. He arrived in
Jonesboro
as the
quarterback coach in the spring of 1997 and was promoted to offensive
coordinator in August of 1997.
During his tenure with
the Indians, Fichtner worked with quarterback Cleo Lemon, who set virtually
every Arkansas
State passing and total
offense record.
Prior to joining the
staff at Arkansas
State, Fichtner spent three
years at his alma mater, Purdue, serving as wide receivers coach and recruiting
coordinator from 1994-96.
The Cleveland, Ohio, native
originally went to Memphis in the fall of 1990 and coached the
Tiger receivers and quarterbacks for four seasons. During his stay at Memphis, Fichtner worked
with St. Louis Rams All-Pro wide receiver Isaac Bruce.
Fichtner, 45, worked as
a student assistant and graduate assistant at Purdue (1985-86) and at Michigan
(1986-87), before serving as a volunteer coach at Southern California in 1988.
He landed his first full-time position in 1989 as the tight end coach at UNLV
and worked for the Rebels for one season before coming to Memphis.
Fichtner graduated from
Purdue in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in health promotion. He is married to
the former Jennifer Parker of Covington, Tenn., and the couple has three children: a
son, Nathaniel Ross, and daughters, Shelby Brooke and Kirby Lynn.
