WSU appears to be starting interview process for head coach opening as Missouri OC Kirby Moore arrives
PULLMAN – Washington State appears to be starting interviews to fill its head coaching vacancy.
On Tuesday morning, Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore looked to be arriving in Pullman, making him a possible candidate to become Washington State’s new head football coach.
Moore, who landed at Mizzou in 2023 after a one-year stint as the offensive coordinator at Fresno State, arrived at the Pullman/Moscow Airport and was immediately whisked off by a black car, heading to Pullman. He was on a private plane coming from the Phoenix airport.
The Cougars are seeking to replace Jimmy Rogers, who left last Friday for Iowa State, bolting after only one season at WSU. Moore appears to be on the list of candidates for president Elizabeth Cantwell and interim athletic director Jon Haarlow, both of whom are leading the search, which might also include longtime coach Rick Neuheisel – but it’s unclear if he would meet Cantwell’s criteria.
Moore is a native of Prosser, a small town in central Washington located about 30 miles west of Richland and about 170 from Pullman. He played wide receiver for Boise State from 2009-2013, then started his coaching career at Idaho, where he worked with the Vandals’ wide receivers in 2014. Moore then spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Washington, working as a graduate assistant and offensive assistant.
His brother Kellen, currently the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, played quarterback for the Broncos from 2007-2011.
Would Kirby Moore make sense for WSU? Based on some of Cantwell’s comments on Tuesday, when she said the next coach should have “contemporary” and “demonstrated” success in the new era of college football, the answer might be yes. Moore is a young coordinator who looks ready for his first shot as a head coach.
At Mizzou, here is how Moore’s first three Tiger offenses have ranked nationally in SP+, which is an advanced metric.
2023: No. 13
2024: No. 24
2025: No. 34
