Kirby Moore Will Call Plays for Washington State
The Cougars shift offensive duties to Kirby Moore ahead of their Friday matchup against Utah State.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Football
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Washington State University football coach Kirby Moore will take over offensive play-calling duties starting with this Friday's game at 6 p.m. This move follows a period of offensive struggle for the Cougars.
Why it matters
The program currently ranks in the bottom-10 in multiple major offensive categories, prompting a coaching adjustment to revitalize the unit. Team officials anticipate that the change will lead to more creative and dynamic play calling.
Washington State ranks 130th in points per game and 133rd in total yards per game. The offense has also struggled with protection and efficiency, allowing 18 sacks and converting only 27% of third downs across five games.
The players
Kirby Moore
Kirby Moore is the Washington State football coach who previously worked as an offensive play caller in the SEC with Missouri.
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university located in Pullman that maintains a competitive football program.
Utah State
Utah State is the university football team scheduled to face the Cougars this Friday.
The details
Kirby Moore brings experience as an offensive play caller from his time in the SEC with Missouri. His focus will be on improving production for an offense that has reached the red zone only 11 times this season.
Timeline
August 21: A scrimmage occurred at Gesa Field.
Friday, 6 p.m.: Washington State plays Utah State.
Season Trajectory
The coaching change signals an attempt to shift the team's momentum before the midpoint of the season. It directly impacts the Cougars' ability to climb the standings and remain competitive within their conference schedule.
The offensive shift may impact the usage of running backs Kirby Vorhees and Maxwell Woods, who are currently averaging 4.2 and 3.0 yards per carry, respectively. A more dynamic playbook could change their projected output and total carries in upcoming games.
The takeaway
The team's move to adjust its coaching leadership underscores the high level of scrutiny placed on offensive production at the collegiate level. Readers should watch how the play-calling changes correlate with the team's third-down conversion rates in Friday's matchup.
Further reading
For more background on the Cougars, visit Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
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