Kirby Moore is looking towards Missouri as he builds his staff at Washington State. The former Tigers offensive coordinator turned Cougars head coach is poaching some of Eli Drinkwitz’s assistants.

Moore is expected to hire the Tigers’ tight ends coach Derham Cato as part of his staff at Washington State, MizzouToday confirmed. Assistant offensive line coach Jack Abercrombie will join the duo, as well.

Moore is hoping to build the Cougars into a winner. He was born in Prosser, Washington, so it’s a bit of a homecoming for him. He also played receiver at Boise State between 2009 and 2013.

The 35-year-old Moore, the younger brother of former Broncos quarterback and first-year New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore, just wrapped his third season as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator. He directed the SEC’s top-ranked rushing attack behind superstar Mizzou running back Ahmad Hardy.

Moore replaces Jimmy Rogers as the Wazzu head coach after Rogers was hired at Iowa State last Friday, following just one season in Pullman. That opportunity opened when former Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell was hired at Penn State late last week. Rogers led Washington State to a 6-6 record in 2025 following a two-year stint as South Dakota State‘s head coach between 2023-24.

“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.

“From the administration, to the alumni and current student-athletes, this University has everything needed to compete at the highest level in college football. … I am honored to be given this opportunity and responsibility and cannot wait to get started!”

Kirby Moore goes home after three-year coaching stint at Mizzou

Following a five-year playing career at Boise State (2009-13), Moore got into coaching at the College of Idaho in 2014 before spending two years as a graduate assistant at Washington from 2015-16. Moore would spend six years at Fresno State, first as the receivers coach under both Jeff Tedford and Kalen DeBoer, before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022 after DeBoer took the head coaching job at Washington. Moore would join the SEC as Missouri‘s offensive coordinator in early 2023, where he saw his annual salary improve to $1.5 million ahead of the 2024 season.

Under Moore’s direction, Mizzou had the SEC’s fifth-ranked total offense and sixth-ranked scoring offense in 2023 when the Tigers averaged 434.3 yards and 32.5 points per game that season. This season, Moore directed the SEC’s top-ranked rushing offense, averaging 234.1 yards per game behind Hardy, who led the nation, averaging 130 rushing yards per game and ranked second nationally with 1,560 yards and 16 rushing scores. Moore’s Mizzou offense also ranked sixth in the SEC in both total offense and scoring offense, averaging 429.3 yards and 32.2 points per game in 2025.

— On3’s Alex Byington contributed to this report.