Desmond Kitchings

Desmond "Des" Kitchings (born July 19, 1978) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is currently the offensive coordinator for the Virginia Cavaliers.

Desmond Kitchings

Virginia Cavaliers
Position:	Offensive coordinator
Personal information
Born:	(1978-07-19) July 19, 1978 (age 46) Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Career information
High school:	Wagener-Salley (SC)[1]
College:	Furman (1996–1999)
NFL draft:	2000 / round: 7 / pick: 207
Career history
As a player:
Kansas City Chiefs (2000)*[2] New York Jets (2000) Indianapolis Colts (2001) St. Louis Rams (2003)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
Furman (2004–2007) Tight ends coach & special teams coordinator Vanderbilt (2008–2009) Running backs coach & special teams coordinator Vanderbilt (2010) Co-offensive coordinator & running backs coach Air Force (2011) Running backs coach NC State (2012) Running backs coach & tight ends coach NC State (2013–2015) Running backs coach NC State (2016–2018) Assistant head coach & running backs coach NC State (2019) Co-offensive coordinator & running backs coach South Carolina (2020) Running backs coach Atlanta Falcons (2021) Running backs coach Virginia (2022–present) Offensive coordinator & tight ends coach

Playing career

Kitchings played as a receiver/return specialist at Furman University. He averaged 29.3 yards per kick return and set a school record of four kick returns for touchdowns. Kitchings was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2000 NFL draft, but never played in the pro leagues.^[3][4][5][6]

Coaching career

Kitchings began his coaching career at Furman, working as the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator from 2004 to 2007. He then spent 3 seasons coaching at Vanderbilt^[7] serving one of them as the offensive coordinator.^[8] After spending 2011 at Air Force, he went on to coach 8 seasons at NC State.^[9] In 2020^[10] he served as the running backs coach for South Carolina.^[11] In 2021 he was named the running backs coach^[12] for the Atlanta Falcons.^[13] After week 17 of Kitching's first year with the Falcons, it was announced that he would become the offensive coordinator for the Virginia Cavaliers.^[14]He's currently the worst offense coordinator in NCAA football & makes UVA pariah Robert Anaie seem good

Personal life

Kitchings and his wife, Heather, have three children all whose names begin with the letter A.

References

1. "A true Palmetto State product: Des Kitchings' journey from small-town SC to Gamecocks". The State. June 12, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
2. "Desmond Kitchings". Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
3. "Untitled Document". eweb.furman.edu. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
4. Serby, Steve (August 17, 2001). "WINGS AND A PRAYER – HAIL MARY PUTS KITCHINGS IN JET WR HUNT". New York Post. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
5. "Desmond Kitchings Stats, News and Video - WR". NFL.com. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
6. "2000 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
7. "Johnson promotes two assistants as Commodores prepare for Spring Practice". Vanderbilt University Athletics - Official Athletics Website. March 10, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
8. "Des Kitchings". Saturday Down South. August 21, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
9. Muma, Steven (December 28, 2019). "NC State co-offensive coordinator Des Kitchings will not return in 2020". Backing The Pack. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
10. "South Carolina hires Des Kitchings as running backs coach". WCIV. Associated Press. April 24, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
11. "South Carolina football: Gamecocks adding Des Kitchings to staff". southcarolina.n.rivals.com. April 23, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
12. "Falcons hire Desmond Kitchings as RBs coach". www.msn.com. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
13. "Falcons hire Desmond Kitchings as RBs coach". Falcons Wire. January 28, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
14. Ledbetter, D. Orlando. "Kitchings leaves Falcons for OC job at UVA". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.