In just his second season leading the Northeastern State University Football program, Head Coach Darrin Chiaverini engineered one of the largest turnarounds in all of college football and delivered one of the greatest seasons in RiverHawks history. After laying the groundwork for improvement in 2024, Chiaverini and the RiverHawks surged to an 8–3 regular-season record in 2025, marking NSU’s largest year-to-year win jump since the 1994 national championship season and the program’s most wins in a season since 2000. The 2025 campaign reset expectations, shattered records, and re-established Northeastern State as a rising force regionally and nationally.
The RiverHawks’ transformation was historic. NSU set school records for total points (427), touchdowns (57), and points per game (38.8), outscoring opponents by 226 points across the season. The team closed the year on a dominant six-game winning streak, overwhelming opponents by 199 total points during that stretch. Behind Chiaverini’s leadership, the RiverHawks became one of the most explosive and balanced offenses in the country while fielding one of the most opportunistic defenses in school history.
Among the season’s defining moments were three of Chiaverini’s first signature “brick games” performances that anchor the long-term foundation he is constructing in Tahlequah. The campaign opened with a statement win in the 48th annual Red Feather Classic, where NSU stunned Saginaw Valley State 28–21 despite entering as 25-point underdogs. In late October, the RiverHawks reclaimed the President’s Cup for the first time since 2013, defeating in-state rival Central Oklahoma in a wire-to-wire performance. NSU capped the regular season with a dramatic comeback victory over West Alabama, shutting out the Tigers 16–0 in the fourth quarter to secure a 33–20 win over a playoff program from the year prior.
The 2025 offense reached unprecedented heights under Chiaverini’s system, averaging 422.5 yards per game and 7.1 yards per play, while producing 3,001 passing yards, 1,646 rushing yards, 30 rushing touchdowns, and 22 passing touchdowns. Quarterback Donnie Smith delivered a historic season, setting school records with a 70.4% completion percentage and 212 completions. Running back Ramon McKinney Jr. became NSU’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2012, ranking among the program’s best all-time in all-purpose yards and scrimmage touchdowns.
The RiverHawks also made history with a rare offensive trio, as McKinney, La’Vontae Shenault, and Cameron Woods became the first group in school history to feature a 1,000-yard rusher alongside two receivers exceeding 800 receiving yards. Shenault finished second all-time at NSU with 70 receptions, while Woods capped his RiverHawks career with another All-American caliber season.
Special teams were a major strength as well. Kicker Troy Nguyen delivered one of the greatest seasons in NSU history, breaking the school record for PATs by going a perfect 52-for-52, and setting the single-season scoring record for a kicker with 79 total points, a crucial component of the program’s offensive surge.
The RiverHawks defense was equally impactful, allowing just 18.27 points per game, a dramatic improvement from years past and establishing themselves as one of the nation’s elite ball-hawking units. The RiverHawks set a school record with 21 interceptions, producing six multi-interception games and four pick-six touchdowns. Defensive back Marvelous Owens led the way with seven interceptions, while three defenders recorded 10+ tackles for loss, and the unit combined for 16 sacks and a season of consistent disruption.
Coach Chiaverini’s transformational leadership, strategic vision, and ability to maximize player development have propelled Northeastern State into a new era. The 2025 season stands as one of the most successful and defining campaigns in RiverHawks football history, proof of the culture, discipline, and competitive identity Chiaverini has instilled in Tahlequah. With a revitalized foundation, national recognition, and continued momentum, Chiaverini has positioned NSU as a program on the rise and a contender for years to come.
Chiaverini comes to NSU from Chaffey College, where he took over a program that was a combined 2-18 during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In his first season with the Panthers, he completely revitalized the program, coaching the team to an 11-0 record and ending the season as the American Metro Conference Champions and 2023 American Division Bowl Champions.
Chiaverini’s other accolades from the 2023 campaign include QB Dereun Dortch being named American Metro Conference MVP and Chiaverini being awarded the title of American Metro Conference Coach of the Year. The Panthers also set four school records during the 2023 campaign, including 46.0 ppg (ranked #1 in conference, T-#1 in CA), 513.0 ypg (ranked #1 in conference, #2 in CA), 58% - 3rd Down Conversions (ranked #1 in conference, #1 in CA), and 89% - Red Zone Scoring (ranked #1 in conference, #1 in CA).
Chiaverini spent the 2022 season as senior analyst for UCLA. Under his leadership, UCLA’s offense was ranked fourth in the country with 507.8 ypg, and ranked ninth in the country averaging 39.6 ppg. UCLA finished the season ranked 17th in the final AP Poll, and earned a berth in the Sun Bowl in El Paso Texas.
Prior to his time at UCLA, Chiaverini was on the staff of his alma mater, the University of Colorado, filling several positions during his tenure from 2016-2021. In those six years, he was wide receivers coach (all six years), offensive coordinator (five seasons), assistant head coach (one year) and briefly interim head coach, while also serving in the dual role of recruiting coordinator. He has been nationally recognized for his recruiting efforts; Rivals.com named him one of the top 25 recruiters in the country for the three recruiting classes pre-COVID (2018, 2019 and 2020).
Under Chiaverini's mentorship during his time at Colorado, he coached five receivers that finished among the university’s all-time top 20 in yards (passing Chiaverini on the list, dropping him down to 21st). He also worked with the top two quarterbacks in passing yards in CU history, Sefo Liufau and Steven Montez.
Chiaverini was the special teams coordinator and outside receivers coach during the 2014-15 seasons for Texas Tech. During his tenure with the Red Raiders, he recruited from the Dallas, Houston, and the Southern California regions. One of his players, Jakeem Grant, earned second-team All-America honors at kick returner for the 2015 season.
Prior to his time at Texas Tech, he spent four years at Riverside (Calif.) City College from 2010-2013, where he was the associate head coach and co-offensive and special teams coordinator, in addition to being in charge of recruiting. Riverside was 40-5 during his four years and produced 15 NCAA Division I players.
His special teams units at Riverside were some of the best of the junior college ranks, with an impressive 22 blocked kicks in four seasons. Chiaverini coached the top punt returner in the state of California in 2011 and 2012, while Riverside's offense led California in scoring in 2011 and in total offense in 2013.
Before Riverside, he rejoined his college coach, Rick Neuheisel, as the assistant special teams coach at UCLA for the 2009 season. He helped pilot one of the top units in the Pac-10 conference and the Bruins captured the Eagle Bank Bowl trophy with a 30-21 win over Temple.
Chiaverini got his start in coaching at Mt. San Antonio College in 2007, starting as a receivers coach and then promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2008.
Prior to his coaching career, Chiaverini was one of Neuheisel’s first commitments in Colorado’s 1995 recruiting class. He earned four letters from 1995-98 and served as one of the team captains his senior season. He caught 97 passes for 1,199 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 12.4 yards per reception in his career, exiting at the time as CU’s seventh all-time receiver. He remains in the top 15 in both catches and yards. He led the team as a senior with 52 catches for 630 yards and five scores.
He was a member of three CU bowl champion teams (Cotton, Holiday and Aloha), making an additional 10 catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns, one a 72-yard bomb from his best friend, quarterback Mike Moschetti, against Oregon in the ’98 Aloha Bowl.
He was a fifth-round selection by the Cleveland Browns in the 1999 National Football League Draft and went on to set the club’s rookie receiving record with 44 catches for 487 yards and four touchdowns. He spent four years in the NFL, also playing for Dallas and Atlanta; he would conclude his NFL career with 62 catches for 662 yards and seven scores. He then finished his professional playing days with the Austin Wranglers in the Arena Football League.
Chiaverini was born on October 12, 1977 in Orange, Calif., and graduated from Corona (Calif.) High School, where he was a USA Today honorable mention All-American in football and an All-County performer in baseball. He is married to Shannon (Burchfield) Chiaverini, and the couple has two children, Curtis, who was a player and student coach for the Colorado Buffaloes and currently serves as a coach at Northeastern State University, and Kaylie who graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with honors. She will start graduate school in the spring of 2025.
AT-A-GLANCE—He has coached in 106 Division I-A (FBS) games as a full-time coach, and has coached in four bowl games (2009 Eagle Bank, 2015 Texas, 2016 Alamo, 2020 Alamo)
COACHING HISTORY
Season: Team – Position
2008: Mt. San Antonio College – Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach
2009: UCLA – Special Teams Assistant Coach
2010: Riverside City College – Co-Off. Coordinator/Associate HC/ Special Teams Coordinator
2011: Riverside City College – Co-Off. Coordinator/Associate HC/ Special Teams Coordinator
2012: Riverside City College – Co-Off. Coordinator/Associate HC/ Special Teams Coordinator
2013: Riverside City College – Co-Off. Coordinator/Associate HC/ Special Teams Coordinator
2014: Texas Tech University – Special Teams Coordinator
2015: Texas Tech University – Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Receivers Coach
2016: University of Colorado – Co-Offensive Coordinator/WR Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2017: University of Colorado – Co-Offensive Coordinator/WR Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2018: University of Colorado – Co-Offensive Coordinator/WR Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
2019: University of Colorado – Assistant HC/WR Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Interim HC
2020: University of Colorado – Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach
2021: University of Colorado – Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach
2022: UCLA – Offensive Analyst – Tight Ends/Wide Receivers
2023: Chaffey College – Head Coach
