Creighton played quarterback at Kenyon College where he established several North Coast Athletic Conference records (since broken).

As the head coach at Wabash in the early 2000s, he turned the school into a national contender at the NCAA Division III level.

In 2011, he coached Drake in an exhibition game in the Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium in Arusha, Tanzania, defeating a Mexican all-star team.

Creighton remained a "diehard" Raiders fan even as his playing and coaching career pulled him east.

[1][2] His family moved to Seattle, where Creighton attended Roosevelt High School and played quarterback on the football team.

In 1990 Creighton's 29 touchdown passes set an NCAC record which stood until 2001 when Wabash College's Jake Knott–playing under Creighton–eclipsed it.

Following graduation in 1991, Creighton became offensive coordinator (OC) at Concordia University Chicago under Jim Braun while working on his master's degree, which he completed in 1993.

[8][6] In the spring of 1993, he received an opportunity to play quarterback for Sweden's Limhamn Griffins, where he also served as a coach.

[15] Creighton departed Ottawa after the 2000 season to become the head coach at Wabash College, replacing Greg Carlson.

[17] In 2002, Creighton led Wabash to an undefeated season and its first playoff appearance since 1977, earning him NCAC coach of the year honors.

"[19] Under Creighton, Wabash played exhibition games in Austria, losing (against the Vienna Vikings) and winning in Panama.

[14] In 2011 Creighton's interests in developing countries and mountain climbing intersected when he helped organize the 2011 Kilimanjaro Bowl, the first football game to be played on the African continent.

[9] During the trip, which also included various service-learning activities, Creighton led his players on a six-day hike up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Amid public criticism, including calls by the faculty union and student government in early 2016 for the school to move down to FCS, the university reaffirmed its commitment to Creighton and staying in FBS.

[28] Creighton's performance at Eastern, regarded as one of, if not the "toughest place to win in Division I football", attracted attention from other programs.

[29] Following the 2018 season, Creighton was a rumored candidate for the head coach job at Temple University that eventually went to Rod Carey.