Andy Bitto’s impact on high school football in Lake County can’t be measured only in victories and championships.
And Bitto certainly had many significant moments during his storied 20-year coaching career at Carmel, where he compiled a 142-79 record and led the Corsairs to their only state championship in 2003.
Bitto, who recently was named a 2021 inductee in the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, set an example for many Lake County coaches with his unwavering commitment to preparing young men for success in life. He also worked as Carmel’s athletic director.
“I’m really honored by the whole thing,” Bitto said. “When I did work with the kids, I tried to make them better people. I didn’t even know I was nominated. I was completely shocked by it. I’m humbled and honored and also blindsided.
“When you are in it, you’re grinding through it. Before you know it, it’s 35 years later. I was dedicated to the program and kids and trying to get better and get the best coaches, especially as an athletic director. It was a labor of love, especially at a private school where you have to do a lot of extra stuff to encourage kids to come there.”
Bitto, a Carmel graduate who played football at Ball State, transformed the Corsairs into one of the best teams in Illinois. His decision to incorporate the triple-option offense led the Corsairs to unprecedented heights, and they won the 2003 Class 6A state title with a 54-26 win against Bloomington to finish a 14-0 season.
He resigned after the 2017 season and stepped down as athletic director a few months later.
Bitto’s longtime friends and coaching associates talk fondly of his colorful side.
Antioch coach Brian Glashagel, a former assistant under Bitto, jokingly points out his mentor has the scars to prove his dedication. Bitto is the secondary coach at Antioch.
“I’m not sure what year it was at Carmel, but we were trying to rep our punt return,” Glashagel said. “We couldn’t get it right. Our punter kept shanking it, so I see Andy getting mad. He was in his 40s or late 30s at the time.
“He’s like, ‘Fine, I’ll do it.’ He grabs the ball and throws it up in the air as hard as he can. I see him wince, and I go, ‘You just blew out your shoulder.’ He did. He had so much energy and was quick-fused. One time he jumped a fence and blew out his ankle. His coaching style led to some serious injuries. He’s a hilarious guy with a lot of energy.”
Bitto said his journey from player to coach nearly hit a snag upon his graduation from Ball State in 1985. He earned a degree in marketing but went back to school to get certified in education. He was a sales representative for a moving company before picking up his teaching certification.
Bitto started helping at Carmel in fall 1985 and worked as an assistant for 13 years before becoming the head coach in 1998. He was Carmel’s athletic director from 1993 to 2018.
“When I started being a coach, I wanted to teach at one point,” Bitto said. “I really prepared myself to do that.”
Carmel girls basketball coach Ben Berg worked as the offensive line coach under Bitto. Berg said he was happy to see his friend of three decades be rewarded by the IHSFCA.
“It’s a great honor for him and well deserving as well,” Berg said. “He took a program that was good to the next level. There’s a couple of things I’ve always appreciated about Andy. He always had a positive outlook, no matter the situation, and his energy. He surrounded himself with good coaches and players, and he let his players play and his coaches coach.”
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Bitto said he focused on the “get-it factor” with his players and students at Carmel. He stressed building character and being part of a team not only in sports but also in the community.
Bitto said he always will cherish leading the Corsairs to a state title. They won their five playoff games by an average margin of 29.6 points, led by a massive offensive line and quarterback Mark Venegoni. Carmel finished the season at No. 7 in USA Today’s national rankings.
A few hours after celebrating the championship, Bitto watched his brother, Alex, win the Class 7A state title as an assistant at Oswego.
“That was a fun group of kids and is an example of coming together all at once,” Bitto said of his 2003 team. “Every week we were getting better. That was a fun team to coach.”
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.