Kitchings is now the University of Virginia's offensive coordinator. | Atlanta Falcons
Kitchings is now the University of Virginia's offensive coordinator. | Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons' running backs coach, Desmond Kitchings, has decided to leave the team to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Virginia.
Kitchings was permitted to leave for his new job immediately, head coach Arthur Smith said in a press conference. He had nothing but praise for Kitchings.
"He's a smart coach," Smith said on the team's website. "He communicates well and understands how to provide value every week, coming up with ideas and getting his guys ready to go. He'll be missed around here, but it's one heck of an opportunity for him."
Kitchings was integral in turning around Atlanta's running game throughout the season with Mike Davis, Qadree Ollison and, especially, Cordarrelle Patterson, the Falcons reported on their site.
Kitchings is credited with evolving Patterson's running back prowess this year, after a career in which he was primarily a wideout and kick returner, the Falcons reported.
Patterson has run the ball 153 times for 618 yards and six touchdowns this year, which are career highs, Pro Football Reference reported.
Smith had only been with the Falcons since the start of the season, which was his first job in the NFL after spending time coaching in college, the Falcons reported. He has often held the role of running backs coach, but was also a co-offensive coordinator at Vanderbilt University in 2010 and then again at North Carolina State in 2019.
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