Pete Darnell begins his second year at Northen Colorado, and will serve as the quarterbacks coach.

In 2007, the Bears quarterbacks combined to throw for over 2,000 yards.

He joined the Bears from Tarleton State, where he coached the wide receivers for six months. He also spent one season as the quarterbacks coach at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kan., where the team advanced to the Heart of Texas Bowl and was the runner-up in Region 6.

Darnell spent the 2004-05 seasons as an assistant coach in charge of the tight ends at Missouri State, where he also was an academic advisor for the Bears.

In 2004, Darnell was a student coach at East Central University, his alma mater, working primarily with the secondary. He was a four-year letterwinner and led the Lone Star Conference in passing in 2002.

He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from East Central in 2004 and is expected to graduate with his master's degree in Physical Education in 2008 from Tarleton State.

Darnell is the son of current Bears' offensive coordinator, Dennis Darnell.