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The chain reaction set into motion of NC State offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz getting hired as head coach at Appalachian State won’t just be felt in tonight’s Gator Bowl, but also likely for several years.

NC State (9-3) head coach Dave Doeren elevated running backs coach Des Kitchings and wide receivers coach George McDonald as co-offensive coordinators in light of Drinkwitz’s move. Both said it has been business as usual in the weeks leading up to facing Texas A&M (8-4) at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

Kitchings was the offensive coordinator at Vanderbilt in 2010 and has coached running backs, tight ends and special teams in the past. McDonald had been the offensive coordinator at Western Michigan in 2005-2006 and at Syracuse in 2013-2014. Meshing together will be the key, along with welcoming new quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper and new offensive line coach John Garrison.

“I have tremendous respect for him [McDonald] and what he does,” Kitchings said. “I am looking forward to us working together.”

McDonald feels prepared and ready after his past experiences at WMU and Syracuse. He looks forward to getting to know Coach Roper, who he doesn’t have any past ties with.

“Just the volume of work and the intensity of the preparation,” McDonald said. “All those spots that I’ve learned from has allowed us and me to grow. I know Des has had a lot of different experiences.”

Kitchings was out on the road when Drinkwitz was in talks with Appalachian State, so he said he wasn’t fully aware of what was transpiring. Doeren elevated the duo Dec. 14 and they’ll be able to keep the same offensive terminology.

“Any time you can have consistency is awesome,” McDonald said. “We have a group of guys that know the terminology and know the plays, just like having [quarterback] Ryan [Finley] for three years, it just makes things go smoother.”

NC State goes into the bowl game with 18 victories the last two years, which has opened up new opportunities for coaches on the staff. Kitchings almost took the head coaching job at his alma mater Furman two years ago.

“That speaks volumes of where NC State football is at,” said Kitchings, who has been at NCSU since 2012. “I’ve just come here with the approach of doing my job and whatever is asked of me, and if I’m rewarded, I’m rewarded.

“Coach Doeren has a lot of faith and trust in Coach McDonald and I to give us this opportunity. I’m thankful for it.”

The day-to-day tasks involved working with some interim coaches this past month and formulating a game plan to attack a Texas A&M defense, which is expected to miss two key starters.

“It has been good and it has been draining,” McDonald said. “It is always bittersweet when you have two good coaches leaving, but they have great opportunities. I’m just trying to get ready for Texas A&M.”

Kitchings mentioned how he’s learned from past NC State offensive coordinators Dana Bible, Matt Canada and Drinkwitz during his time in Raleigh.

“There is a lot of good football knowledge in those rooms that you take a piece here and there, and you try to mold it into one thing,” Kitchings said. “

Next year was going to be different offensively for NC State regardless of who the offensive coordinator is. NC State sixth-year senior quarterback Ryan Finley, junior wide receiver Kelvin Harmon, senior running back Reggie Gallaspy and three fifth-year seniors on the offensive line — center Garrett Bradbury, left guard Terronne Prescod and left tackle Tyler Jones — all will be departing. NCSU will also learn in the weeks to come the plans of star redshirt junior wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

“You look at the progression of this offense the last three years, all of us being a part of it, we had two 1,000-yard receivers and a 3,000 yards-plus passer and multiple 1,000-yard rushers, so that is obviously good statistics,” Kitchings said. “There are obviously some things we want to improve on overall. The nuts and bolts are already there.

“We are going to have new pieces when you get to the spring.”

McDonald has kept the task simple in December — not worry about the 2019 season.

“All I am thinking about is Texas A&M,” McDonald said. “At this point, it’s always about multi-tasking. We just finished recruiting and signing day. Every day is a new challenge and every day is a new opportunity.”

NC State will have four quarterbacks competing for the starting job during spring practice and fall camp in August. McDonald was able to get some practice in on saying how he thinks that will go.

“It will be the same way with four receivers out there, whoever is the best player will find a way to get out on the field,” McDonald said. “The biggest thing with a quarterback, and Ryan will tell you, is being really detailed in the plan and giving them as many reps as you can. Then when they go out on Saturday, they can just react and not have to think about anything.”

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