Contact CU Independent Editor-in-Chief Tommy Wood at thomas.c.wood@colorado.edu.
University of Colorado football has hired former wide receiver Darrin Chiaverini as its co-offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, Head Coach Mike MacIntyre announced in a release Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s unbelievable, it’s something that’s been burning inside me and is obviously close to my heart,” Chiaverini said. “I can’t really put into words how excited I am to come back to a place I call home. Working my way up through the coaching ranks, it’s something I’ve always had my eye on to return to Colorado.”
Chiaverini will share the offensive coordinator position with longtime MacIntyre assistant Brian Lindgren, who will call plays. MacIntyre said that Chiaverini’s hiring shouldn’t reflect poorly on Lindgren, but it comes after a season in which Lindgren was criticized by fans and media for Colorado’s red-zone futility (seventh-worst red-zone offense in the country), his apparent unwillingness to involve tight ends in the passing game and the lack of touches for versatile running back Philip Lindsay late in the season.
Chiaverini was the receivers coach and special teams coordinator at Texas Tech the past two seasons, where he helped engineer one of the nation’s most explosive passing attacks; this year, Texas Tech’s 46.6 points per game ranked second in the country.
“Darrin brings an excellent expertise in the passing game to us from Texas Tech,” MacIntyre said. “Tech has a prolific passing offense, second only to Washington State in the NCAA, and we can draw upon what he did in Lubbock. He is an excellent recruiter and he’s passionate about the University of Colorado. We’re really excited to have him here, and I firmly believe he should help us improve.”
Chiaverini played for Colorado from 1995-1998, caught 97 passes for 1,199 yards and six touchdowns, was a team captain and won three bowl games. He then played four years in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons, then coached at several junior colleges before he was hired by Texas Tech.
Chiaverini will join Colorado after December 29, when he will coach his final game for Texas Tech, against LSU in the Texas Bowl.
