One of the biggest questions for the Steelers entering the 2018 season is how Randy Fichtner will fare in his first season as the team's offensive coordinator. After all, Fichtner, 54, has never been a coordinator at the NFL level and hasn't called plays since he was a college coach in 2006 at Memphis.
But the fact Fichtner hasn't called plays at the NFL level wasn't an issue for Mike Tomlin when he hired him for the job earlier this year after Todd Haley was not retained for the position. In fact, Tomlin sees it as an advantage.
There is no book on Fichtner. Nobody knows his tendencies or go-to plays. And with every team in the league now using analytics to varying degrees, that can be something from which the Steelers can benefit.
"Certainly, and one that we intend to," Tomlin said earlier this week when I asked him about Fichtner. "I think sometimes there are challenges that come with transition. There are also benefits or unintended consequences, not being able to anticipate his rhythms, his nuances, or the things that he holds near and dear. It’s part of the advantage of the transition."
It's a transition with which Tomlin has been completely comfortable. He worked on the same staff as Fichtner when the latter was offensive coordinator at Arkansas State from 1997-2000, with Keith Butler as defensive coordinator. And while Butler was already in Pittsburgh serving as linebackers coach when Tomlin was hired by the Steelers in 2007, he brought in Fichtner as his receivers coach.
The comfort level built from a long-lasting relationship, including the past 12 years in Pittsburgh, is strong.
"He hasn't been delivering pizzas," Tomlin said when asked Thursday morning on ESPN's 'First Take' about any trepidation he might have in a rookie coordinator.
Fichtner hasn't been delivering pizzas, but he hasn't been cooking up a full game plan and then executing it in a game, either. The scheme itself has remained largely the same. But the Steelers have made adjustments to their audibles, calls and hand signals. They would have done that regardless, but with Haley on the other sideline for Sunday's opener, having been hired as Cleveland's offensive coordinator, it was even more critical to make wholesale changes in that regard.
"That all happens season-to-season," left tackle Alejandro Villanueva told me. "There’s a lot of new things coming into every year. I don’t think that Cleveland is game-planning according to our calls, and we’re doing the same thing."
The Browns might not be keying on old play calls, but they can key on certain formations or looks based on Haley's knowledge of his former team. With that in mind, Fichtner has made other adjustments and made sure he stays -- as Tomlin likes to say -- thoughtfully non-rhythmic.
"I think there’s some degree to that," Fichtner said of opposing teams not knowing a lot about what he likes to do or how he'll call a game. "We’re still finding some of that rhythm together, too. The preseason hasn’t been all the first-team offense playing together all the time. We did get some good work in the third preseason game. So, I think that that’s, to some degree, it may be a little annoying to a defensive coach, but I’m not real sure. The truth is they’re going to play what they do, and they’re going to try and do what they do better than what we do."
That will be the key. With Haley able to give Cleveland defensive coordinator Gregg Williams inside information regarding potential play designs and tips about things such as what blitzes or defenses Ben Roethlisberger doesn't handle well, players winning their individual battles becomes critical. There aren't many true secrets among teams in the NFL.
"It really comes down to execution and guys winning their one-on-ones," All-Pro guard David DeCastro told me. "In this league, there aren't any secrets. You've just got to line up and play."
When you have a secret, you'd better use it to your advantage. And the Steelers have one in Fichtner -- at least for now.
One thing we do know about Fichtner, Sunday will be special for him, beyond even working his first game as a coordinator at the NFL level. His father, Ross, was a cornerback for the Browns in the 1960s. Later in life, he worked as a radio executive, splitting his time between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. To split the difference between the two, he moved his family to Meadville, Pa.
His son already has fond memories of Cleveland, and Sunday will add another.
"It’s interesting, to say the least, but unfortunately my dad’s not going to be able to make it there to the game," Fichtner said. "Cleveland has been really good to him. Obviously, I was born there. I was a Browns fan until 12 years ago. I haven’t looked back. I don’t think much about it, and I know my dad is a Steelers fan right now. But he was part of some great years that they’ve had there, and they’ve done a great job of giving back to the legends and the ex-players that they’ve had there. He’s been back many times. He’s just not going to be able to make it now due to health."
Ross Fichtner will have to take it all in from home. But one thing is certain, he won't question his son's ability to do the job.
Nor do the Steelers, even though they know everyone is questioning what Fichtner's offense will be like.
"I don’t know. We’ll see," Roethlisberger said with a wry smile. "That’s the question everyone wants to find out. What’s Randy’s personality, what’re his tendencies? We’ll all find out Sunday, I guess."
