Note: Kitchings was promoted to offensive coordinator on October 25, 2010. Read More
2010-11: Des Kitchings enters his third year on the Commodore staff. He coaches Vanderbilt running backs and serves as running game coordinator. Kitchings was co-special teams coordinator last year.
Kitchings came to Vanderbilt after serving as an assistant at Furman from 2004-07. He briefly accepted a position at Western Michigan prior to taking the Vanderbilt role.
In 2009, Kitchings did a splendid job mentoring true freshman tailbacks Warren Norman and Zac Stacy after senior Jared Hawkins missed much of the year with an injury. Norman and Stacy ranked 1-2 on the team in rushing, with Norman producing one of the finest all-purpose campaigns ever by an SEC freshman. He ended the season as the SEC Freshman of the Year and a freshman All-American.
Kitchings also enjoyed success as an offensive coach at Furman. Serving as tight ends coach and special teams coordinator at Furman, he helped mentor three Paladins to all-conference recognition: Larry Hedden, Willis Sudderth and John Rust.
During his tenure at Furman, the Paladins went 10-3 and captured a conference title in 2004, and advanced to the NCAA I-AA national semifinals in 2005.
Kitchings was a standout receiver/return specialist at Furman. As a senior in 1999, Kitchings helped Furman win the first of three conference championships under Johnson. He ranks among the school[apos]s all-time leaders in receptions and returns. As a specialist, he averaged a SoCon record 29.3 yards on 33 kickoff returns, four of which went for touchdowns – also a school record.
A consensus all-Southern Conference selection as both a receiver and returner, Kitchings earned All-America honors as a return specialist in 1999 after leading the NCAA I-AA division in return average.
Kitchings was selected by Kansas City in the 2000 NFL Draft, and spent four years on practice squads and rosters of NFL squads.
Kitchings completed a Health and Exercise Science degree at Furman in 2000.
Kitchings and his wife, Heather, are the parents of son, Aiden Jacob, 4; and daughter, Ava Marie, 2.