Son of CU coach adjusting well to life in the Centennial State

While his father has worked his way up the college coaching ranks, Curtis Chiaverini has had a chance to play high school football in California and Texas, and now he is preparing for his senior season at Valor Christian in Colorado.

“I am used to rolling with the punches, and going with whatever is thrown at me,” said Curtis, the son of Buffs co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Darrin Chiaverini. “I think the moves have helped make me more well-rounded. In Texas, I got to see how intense football can be. I am trying to bring that intensity with me to Colorado.”

Chiaverini hauled in roughly 35 passes for 500 yards during his junior season at Cooper High School in Lubbock. During his senior campaign, he will be playing for a team that has gone 86-12 and won six state championships the last seven years. Chiaverini believes the 37 mile commute from his home in Superior to Valor Christian each school day will prove to be well worth it in the end.

“If I want to accomplish what I want to accomplish, I have to make sacrifices,” he said. “If that means waking up a little bit earlier to play at the highest level in Colorado, I am going to make that sacrifice.”

Curtis has tried to model his game after his father, who finished his college career at CU as the Buffs' seventh all-time leading receiver. Darrin went on to play four years in the NFL before beginning his coaching career.

“I like to watch old practice film of my dad when he was at CU. I try to take little things from that,” he said. “My dad was more of a gritty type receiver. He would go over the middle, do whatever he had to, make the blocks he had to make. I like to think I am that same type of player.”

Said Darrin Chiaverini: “As a father, I am really proud of him. And as a coach, I think he is a really good player that will leave his legacy this year at Valor.”

The younger Chiaverini, who currently stands 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, also prides himself on his versatility between the lines.

“I like to move around a lot. I like to play slot, I like to play outside. I will do whatever,” he said. “I am basically a route technician so I can run anything at any spot on the field.”

Chiaverini recently took an unofficial visit to Northern Colorado, and he has drawn some early recruiting interest from Montana and Air Force. Although he has not finalized his summer plans yet, Chiaverini would like to attend camps at CU, Colorado State, San Diego State and Arizona State.

“It has been a dream of mine to go to a Pac-12 school, and especially CU, but I want to make it there on my own,” he said. “I don't want people to say, 'Oh, his dad is there so that is why he is going there.' I want to earn everything I get. So when I go to these camps, I want them to know I am not just a name. I want to prove to everybody that I am a good receiver. It will be my goal to do that this summer.”