Arthur Smith has been looking everywhere for his new coaching staff, pulling out names that would not be related to the new coach, like Dave Ragone of the Chicago Bears for offensive coordinator.
Now Smith is entering college to work as a running back trainer. According to several reports, Des Kitchings, running back trainer at the University of South Carolina, will join the Falcons in the same role.
Running back coach Des Kitchings is leaving the Gamecocks program to assume the same position with the Atlanta Falcons, according to a source with knowledge of the situation at The State. FootballScoop was the first to report the news. There has been no official Falcons announcement yet.
Prior to this shortened college season COVID-19, Gamecocks have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Marcus Lattimore in 2010. That rusher Kevin Harris will not be drafted in this off-season, but it raises some questions about who the Falcons could achieve with a running back main need .
According to the report, Carolina lost her former running back coach to the Los Angeles Rams in 2019.
Kitchings has a long history in college and is highly respected for his work in Carolina, for Football Scoop.
Kitchings had been positioned for an increase with Gamecocks, by sources, and was also highly appreciated in the athletics department, by program sources. Kitchings has also consistently been one of the best general talent recruiters and high school running back developers.
The Falcons could use the latter desperately, as the team has failed to develop a back since Devonta Freeman exploded under Kyle Shanahan (then exploded in a totally different way after signing a long-term extension).
We are still trying to figure out what to expect from Smith, but he is making many bold choices that we have not seen under the former team coach.