Boston College Athletics
Fitch Getting Going in OC Role
May 06, 2015 | Football
Todd Fitch may be new to the role at Boston College, but he's not in an unfamiliar position.
While recently promoted to the Eagles' offensive coordinator (and quarterbacks coach), Fitch has been an offensive coordinator for a solid part of the last two decades. First at Connecticut in the mid-90s, then at East Carolina (2007-09) and then at South Florida (2010-12) before he joined Steve Addazio's staff at Boston College in January of 2013.
"I've done it before," Fitch said. "My previous job, I was a coordinator and I've coordinated at three or four different stops. So I've done it before and I knew I wanted to do it again. But I wanted to do it in a situation that was the right time, the right fit and the right people."
So when he was offered the OC role with the Eagles in February, the role in Chestnut Hill was a natural fit for the 29-year coaching veteran.
"When it first happened, it was easier to do a checklist to see if this was what I really wanted to do, because I'd been here and it wasn't a cold call and I was coming in from the outside. I knew the situation."
Part of that knowledge came from already being a member of Addazio's staff.
"There's no doubt that having familiarity with Steve and what he wants to do helps put the offense together," Fitch said. "He's very active and involved in the offense. It helps because I know how we operate, how we call things. It's not like we're learning a whole new language or anything. It made the transition easier than if I was coming in from the outside and hadn't worked with him before, or hadn't been through the game day with everything we do and how we do it. No change is seamless, but it certainly makes it easier."
Another reason Fitch accepted the promotion was the working relationship he already had with his coaching colleagues at BC, staff that's been consistent for the last two years while they've - quickly - rebuilt the team into an annual bowl participant.
"We work together so much that we have a really good staff here. Coach has done a really good job with his staff, assembling it from day one when he was hired at BC. Justin Frye, and Frank Leonard and Al (Washington) and all those guys, and Ryan (Day) when he was here, we worked very closely together and that hasn't changed. That's what made it exciting for me.
"When you walked into a room and you really don't have a feel for the guys you're working with day-to-day, that's hard. And so that's what made it the most exciting, to be honest. I know who I'm working with, we work well together, we jell together. It's made it a really easy transition, so that's been fun," Fitch said.
Fitch's promotion came just as spring practice got underway in early February. As a staff, the Eagles' staff has been working to cement roster roles since spring ball closed on March 28.
"Right now, coming into spring and now coming out of spring, one of our biggest goals is to identify our top 22, or our two-deep (roster)," Fitch said. "And we're still in the process of that. It's really occupying our time and getting our best players on the field in the right situations."
In 2014, the Eagles were a young team in the skill positions, a trend that will continue next season as Addazio and his staff continue to recruit and bring classes to The Heights.
In order to take advantage of the skill and speed of the roster, the coaches - including Fitch - are working to make ensure fans (and opponents) see as many of those players as possible on the field each Saturday.
"Every team has different strengths. With some of the skill guys we recruited, with the incoming quarterbacks, the guys that are stepping up we think we have the ability to do some things to match our run game. So we've spent a lot of time in spring ball on those things and the passing game to try to complement each other very well. It's been fun and it's been exciting. Camp will be critical to us to continue that strive to make those goals."
Camp opens in early August and fans will get a chance to see even more from the Eagles.
