Washington State hires Kirby Moore as new head football coach
COLUMBIA, MO - OCTOBER 19: Missouri Tigers offensive coordinator Kirby Moore talks with wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) during a timeout in an SEC game between the Auburn Tigers and Missouri Tigers on October 19, 2024 at Memorial Stadium in Colum (Scott Winters / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
Washington State University has hired Missouri offensive coordinator and Prosser native Kirby Moore as their new head football coach.
The school announced the hire Friday afternoon. The deal was first reported by Pete Thamel of ESPN.com.
"Coach Moore is the real deal, and exactly who we needed to propel us to the top of the new Pac-12," WSU President Elizabeth Cantwell said in a statement. "Our student-athletes have lucked out. This man cares deeply not only about winning, but their success on and off the field. We look forward to welcoming Coach Moore and his family to Pullman, and to Coug Nation. Join me in wrapping Coach Moore in Cougar Pride. Go Cougs!"
Moore, 35, is the younger brother of New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore. He's spent the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Missouri under head coach Eli Drinkwitz.
Moore replaced Jimmy Rogers as the head coach at Washington State. Rogers left WSU after just one season as head coach to become the new head coach at Iowa State University.
"I'm honored and excited to join Washington State University as its new head football coach," Moore said in a statement. "Becoming a first-time head coach at a special place like Washington State is a dream come true for my family and I. I want to thank President Cantwell and Jon Haarlow for the opportunity to return home and continue the proud tradition of Cougar football. The future of our program is bright. I look forward to leading this team and making our state proud!
"Our commitment to excellence will be evident on the field and in the community, while competing for championships. We can't wait to get on the Palouse and get to work. Go Cougs!"
Like his older brother, Moore played for Chris Petersen at Boise State as a wide receiver for four years from 2009-2013. When his college playing career wrapped up, Moore spent one season coaching at the College of Idaho before becoming a graduate assistant under Petersen at the University of Washington.
He left the Huskies to coach at Fresno State in 2017, where he rose from a wide receivers coach to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, which included two years coaching alongside another Washington head coach in Kalen DeBoer.
Moore was then hired by Drinkwitz to become the offensive coordinator at Missouri in 2023. The Tigers are 29-9 over the last three years with Moore as OC, including an 11-win season in 2023 and a 10-3 season last year. The Tigers went just 8-4 this season, which came partly due to quarterback Beau Pribula missing a month with an injury.
The Washington State job will be the first head coaching opportunity for Moore.
"Today is a great day for Cougar Football and we are thrilled to welcome Kirby, his wife Kayla, and children, Sutton, Cohen and Crew to the Cougar Family," interim athletic director Jon Haarlow said in a statement.
"Kirby Moore is regarded as one of the top young coaches in college football with proven success throughout multiple levels of his coaching career. He has an innovative offensive mind and a team-oriented approach that will resonate with and elevate our student-athletes. Throughout the process, his energy and commitment to wholistically developing our student-athletes, on the field and off, along with his ties to eastern Washington and familiarity with Washington State University make him the right leader for Cougar Football."
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