Falcons running backs coach Des Kitchings will leave the team immediately to become the offensive coordinator on Tony Elliott’s staff at Virginia, coach Arthur Smith said on Monday.
“We’re happy for Des,” Smith said. “It’s a great opportunity. He’ll be a coordinator. He’ll assume that position immediately. We’ll finish the season in the running back room by committee. We have a lot of good coaches here that can help.”
Smith said he would be one of the coaches to help with the running backs.
“We have plenty of coaches here,” Smith said. “I can step in. We’ve got (offensive coordinator) Dave Ragone and (offensive specialist) T.J. Yates. We’ll get this thing done for this week.”
Smith said he’ll take his time finding Kitchings replacement. He interviewed former Falcons running backs coach Bernie Parmalee last season. Parmalee is currently in Jacksonville and could become available when they replace the first Urban Meyer.
“I’ll take some and I’ll be thorough about anybody else that we bring in here on the staff,” Smith said. “It won’t be an immediate rush to judgement there.”
Elliott recently took the Virginia job after as successful run as offensive coordinator for Dabo Swinney at Clemson. It’s unclear whether Elliott or the new offensive coordinator will call the plays for the Cavaliers.
Kitchings, 42, who played at Furman, is in his first season with the Falcons. The Falcons are 30th of 32 teams in rushing in the NFL at 86.8 yards per game. However, Kitchings has done a fine job of converting former wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson in to the team’s top running back.
Patterson has rushed for a career-high 607 yards and six rushing touchdowns. He has 149 carries for a 4.1 average and has rushed for 26 first downs.
The Falcons went with Mike Davis to open the season, but when he wasn’t productive. The started moving carries over to Patterson.
Before joining the Falcons, Kitchings was at South Carolina as the running back coach. He also coached at Furman, Vanderbilt, Air Force and N.C. State.
Kitchings previously served as offensive coordinator for Vanderbilt in 2010 and was co-offensive coordinator with N.C. State in 2019.
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