Woelk: Chiaverini Elated To Be Back In Boulder

BOULDER — Welcome home, Chev.

Perfect timing, perfect place, perfect fit.

Colorado football fans who remember Darrin Chiaverini will remember a receiver who left everything he had on the field every time he stepped foot on the surface. They'll remember a player whose passion for the game and love of the program was unsurpassed — and a man whose heart has always had a corner tucked away for the Buffs, even while he traveled first through a career in the NFL, then as a coach climbing through the ranks.

That passion is coming home.

Excited? The word doesn't do justice to the enthusiasm that was virtually palpable over the phone as we talked Tuesday morning about Chiaverini being named to the CU staff.

“I couldn't ask for more,” Chiaverini said. “The stars definitely aligned to bring me back home. It's been in my heart for a long, long time. When you sweat and bleed on Folsom Field, when you have that in your heart, the chance to come back just means that much more to you. I'm elated. It's time. It's time to bring the Buffaloes back.”

Chiaverini remembers the good times in Boulder. A member of Rick Neuheisel's first recruiting class, he played in three bowl games in his four years at CU, including a pair of seasons in which the Buffs finished ranked in the nation's top 10. His final game in a black and gold uniform saw him catch three passes for 96 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown pass, in a 51-43 Aloha Bowl win over Oregon to finish the 1998 season.

But Chiaverini remembers more than just the games in Boulder. It is where, in his words, he grew up from a boy to a man. It is where he and his wife, Shannon, lived in married student housing, overlooking the practice fields where he toiled on a daily basis. It's where his son, Curtis, was born, in Boulder Community Hospital.

Simply, it is home, in so many ways.

“I came to Colorado when I was 17 years old,” Chiaverini said. “Coming to Colorado was the best decision I ever made. I grew up as a man in Boulder and at the University of Colorado. It shaped me. I know the people of Boulder and the state of Colorado have a great feeling for the pride and tradition of CU football, and I know the people are dying to see it back on top — and I can't wait to help us get there.”

Chiaverini has paid his dues in the coaching ranks after a seven-year pro career, including four in the NFL. He's worked at the junior college level, and also at UCLA on Neuheisel's staff. Most recently, he's been special teams coordinator and outside receivers coach at Texas Tech.

But even though his heart's compass has always pointed back to Boulder, he needed confirmation that it was the right place at the right time when the call came last week. Before any decision was made, he had to sit down with CU head coach Mike MacIntyre, athletic director Rick George and associate A.D. Lance Carl to make sure his gut feeling was the right one.

“When I sat down with Coach MacIntyre, I could see he had a true vision and a true passion for Colorado football,” Chiaverini said. “He believes in this place, in the program. I had to believe in him before I could make this move, and after sitting down with him, there's no doubt in my mind. It had to be a great fit, and once we had the chance to meet, I knew it was the right fit. They have a vision for where we're going to go, and there's no doubt in my mind we're going to get there.”

Of course, CU's brand new Champions Center didn't hurt in swaying Chiaverini to make the move.

“It's the best facility I've ever been in — period,” Chiaverini said. “I've been in a lot of college and pro facilities over the years, and it's the best I've seen, bar none. What Rick George has accomplished is amazing. It's a game changer. Boulder's a great place, and the Flatirons are beautiful — but when you get recruits in there, they are going to see the commitment the program has. Our facility is as good as it gets, and it's just one more reason why the future is so bright for Colorado.”

Last summer, Chiaverini and his family returned to Boulder for a Buffs4Life event. What seemed at the time to be a coincidence might now be seen as a harbinger of the future, an indicator of what was to come.

“I just got the feeling then that I'd be coming home someday,” Chiaverini said. “I knew something would happen that would bring me back here. I wasn't sure what or when, but things happen for a reason, and there's a reason I'm coming home. I want to give back to the place that was so important in shaping my life.”

Chiaverini's duties will be widespread. He'll work with Brian Lindgren as the co-offensive coordinator and he'll also coach wide receivers, a position vacated when Troy Walters took the job as Central Florida's offensive coordinator. Chiaverini will also serve as CU's recruiting coordinator.

“I'm excited for the challenge,” Chiaverini said. “I know what's ahead. I'm not coming in with my eyes closed. I wouldn't have come home if I didn't believe in Coach MacIntyre and everyone here. There's no doubt we have to look at what we're doing and see how we can continue to get better, but that's the case everywhere. You always want to get better, you always want to keep improving.

“But what I already know is that there's no doubt we're coming back. It's time.”

Passion? Check.

Perfect timing? Check.

Perfect fit? Check.

Welcome home, Chev.

It's time.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu