South Carolina football: Des Kitchings heading to the Atlanta Falcons
By Jacob Elsey
South Carolina football is in search of a RB coach.
The Gamecocks’ coaching staff had just been completed with the recent hiring of offensive line coach Greg Adkins five days ago. Now, that staff is missing a piece, with running backs coach Des Kitchings accepting a position with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
Kitchings had only been with the program for one season, but what a season it was. South Carolina saw tailback Kevin Harris lead the SEC in rushing over the 10-game regular season slate, totaling 1,138 yards on 185 carries. His 6.2 yards per carry average set a new school record, while the sensational sophomore reached paydirt on 16 occasions (15 rush, 1 rec).
South Carolina also saw an early impact from freshman Rashad Amos, who ran for 100 yards on 18 carries.
Kitchings becomes the second running backs coach in as many seasons to leave the program in lieu of the NFL, joining Thomas Brown, who accepted a position with the Los Angeles Rams following the 2019 campaign.
Kitchings was a holdover from the previous staff, and it seemed the South Carolina native was poised to stay in Columbia for the upcoming season, but the Falcons’ offer was too good to pass up.
He becomes the latest of a number of Gamecock coaches to be poached after signing contracts with the university, joining Mike Bobo, Tracy Rocker, and Will Friend, who left for Auburn. Rocker has since taken a role with the Detroit Lions.
Now, the search for a new position coach will begin. The new assistant will take over a running backs room that includes Harris, Amos, ZaQuandre White, and former five-star recruit MarShawn Lloyd. Stay tuned to Garnet and Cocky for updates and possible candidates for the newly opened role.