A guy to carry the load in the fourth. Kitchings’ different philosophy for Gamecocks
Des Kitchings has a plan for each game as a new member of South Carolina’s football staff. He’s looking for a back to step up and finish things off.
When Kitchings’ predecessor, Thomas Brown, arrived in Columbia, he explained he wanted a a backfield built around a 1-2 punch. For much of his lone season, that was Rico Dowdle and Tavien Feaster, a pair of backs no longer on the roster.
Kitchings isn’t opposed to that approach, but he wouldn’t mind seeing someone take the lead.
“But if there’s a guy that’s in a rhythm, he’s toting the rock and he’s being productive for us, we’re gonna ride him,” Kitchings said. “Give him some spells there, along with that. I like to think we will have some depth in our room that we can be able to rotate a couple guys, getting guys through the first, second, third quarter and then fourth quarter, let’s go lean on them with somebody that’s really been consistent and productive.”
He pointed out there’s a reality from high school ball to the NFL that it helps to share the workload, just to keep the hits and wear and tear from piling up on runners.
Brown’s approach had been a departure from what ended up being somewhat of a committee approach and rotation in the first three years that Bobby Bentley led the room. He had been an advocate of one back taking the lead (“Cock of the walk” he called it), but no one among Rico Dowdle, Ty’Son Williams, Mon Denson and A.J. Turner really took that central role.
In terms of recruiting rating talent, incoming borderline five-star MarShawn Lloyd might have the ability to fill that role, provided he lives up to his hype. The former N.C. State assistant also inherits backs like Kevin Harris and DeShaun Fenwick (both better than 5 yards a carry last season), as well as incoming junior college back Zaquandre White.
Last season, his offense relied heavily on a pair of freshmen, and they’ve often rolled several backs with one as the clear top option (three 1,000-yard runners from 2016-18).
Kitchings is also bringing his overall philosophies to a staff he feels is like-minded.
New coordinator Mike Bobo is bringing a little pro-style sensibility to a scheme that had grown decidedly pass-heavy. Ball-control has been something head coach Will Muschamp has at least paid homage to at points.
He said his outlook is “run to win, throw to score,” and he thinks that approach has trickle-down effects across the roster.
“Running the football and being balanced helps your defense,” Kitchings said. “It helps the team. It helps the physicality of the team in practice. That’s a point of emphasis so we all have the same beliefs in that.”
