JONESBORO (1/29/09) ? Each year unique storylines surrounding the NFL's biggest game make their way to the surface, but Super Bowl XLIII presents an especially intriguing match-up for Arkansas State fans with four coaches, including Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin, participating in Sunday's game that have ties to ASU's football history.
The road to Super Bowl XLIII for Tomlin and two others on the Steelers' coaching staff, linebackers coach Keith Butler and wide receivers coach Randy Fichtner, went through Jonesboro in the mid-to-late 1990's as assistant coaches on the Arkansas State staff. While Tomlin, Fichtner and Butler all spent varying amounts of time at ASU, all three were on the same coaching staff in 1998 under then-head coach Joe Hollis.
Working on the opposite sideline will be Arizona assistant coach Maurice Carthon, who played running back at Arkansas State from 1979-82 before going on to play eight seasons in the NFL, including seven years as a member of the New York Giants. Inducted into the Arkansas State Athletic Hall of Honor in 1991, Carthon is now in his second season as the Cardinals running backs coach.
Tomlin was named an assistant coach at ASU February 17, 1997, and spent his first year coaching a wide receiving corp that included players such as Lennie Johnson, who still stands as the Red Wolves second all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. ASU piled up 2,267 yards through the air in 1997 and Johnson accounted for 862 of those yards, which still stands as the fourth most in school history for a single season.
Tomlin moved to defensive backs coach in 1998, when ASU posted 13 interceptions and three of its top four tacklers were defensive backs. Safety Sean Mitchell led the team in tackles in 1998 with 126 stops to his credit, while cornerback Chappell Mitchell intercepted a team-high six passes. Mitchell's 126 tackles are just five shy of the fifth most in school history for a single season.
“Coach Tomlin was full of energy and very much a players coach,” said Johnson. “He was a player-oriented coach, a great guy to be around and I'm glad to see him having so much success in the NFL. Coach Tomlin, on the field or off the field, is just a great person. He was always in a good mood and when he had to be a coach he was, and when he didn't he was a friend.”
Fichtner joined ASU's staff in January 1997 as quarterbacks coach and was named offensive coordinator in August 1997. ASU' total passing yards all four years (1997-2000) while Fichtner was on staff still rank among the top-10 in school history, including 1998 when it threw for a school-record 2,875 yards. Fichtner coached ASU's all-time leading passer Cleo Lemon, now a quarterback with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, from 1997-2000.
Butler spent the 1998 season at ASU as the football team's defensive coordinator and linebacker's coach. Butler's 1998 defense held Hawaii scoreless in a 20-0 victory, forced 25 turnovers, recorded 32 sacks and 106 tackles for loss. Butler coached linebacker Andy Henault in ASU's 1998 game against New Mexico State when Henault tallied 21 tackles, which is tied for the fifth most in school history for a single game.
Carthon was a two-time All-Southland Conference selection at ASU and rushed for 1,583 yards during his collegiate career. The Osceola, Ark. native was a player on the New York Giants 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl championship teams. Carthon was also an assistant coach on the Super Bowl XXXI runner-up New England Patriots.
“I remember Maurice as a quiet individual as well as a very tough individual while he played at Arkansas State,” said ASU Head Certified Trainer Ron Carroll, who is in his 33rd year at ASU. “If we went back and looked at the training-room records, he probably wasn't in here much. Initially, he was a tight end for Coach Lacewell and they moved him to fullback in the wishbone offense.”
“Arkansas State has a great history of talented players and coaches coming through its football program, and Mike Tomlin, Keith Butler, Randy Fichtner and Maurice Carthon are certainly part of that group,” said ASU Director of Athletics Dr. Dean Lee. “Obviously, we are extremely proud of their association with Arkansas State and what they have accomplished since they left the University.”
After Super Bowl XLIII, a total of six former ASU players and six former coaches will have experience in pro football's biggest event.
