James Williams | Sports Editor

Texas Tech University announced the hire of Riverside City College’s football coach Darrin Chiaverini as the new special teams coordinator.

The Texas Tech hire makes Chiaverini the first full-time special teams coordinator at the university since 2009.

Chiaverini was the recruiting and special team coordinator during his four seasons at RCC.

Since 2011, RCC has sent a total of 42 football players to Division-1 programs while Chiaverini was the recruiting coordinator.

Among the 42 players, Will Smith, SaDale Foster, and Bruce Jones have attended Texas Tech after time at RCC.

Chiaverini has also coached the top junior college punt returner in California the last two seasons. He has worked as a special teams coach at Mt. San Antonio College and UCLA.

Prior to coaching, Chiaverini played football at Corona High School and continued his student-athletic career at the University of Colorado.

Chiaverini was drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, in which he set a rookie receiving record with 44 catches and 487 yards.

He also played for the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys during his four-year NFL career.

Chiaverini has spent some of his time during the offseason coaching in college all-star games such as the upcoming East-West Shrine Game in Florida.