'Excited to be home and build this thing': New WSU coach Kirby Moore lands in Pullman, greets fans

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Dec. 14—PULLMAN — Kirby Moore has his first touchdown at Washington State.

Hired on Friday as the Cougars' new head coach, Moore landed Sunday afternoon at the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, where he greeted a collection of WSU fans and offered a word of excitement.

"Thank you, guys. I appreciate you coming out," Moore said, stepping out from the passenger seat of a white Jeep Wagoneer SUV. "Excited to be home and build this thing. I'll see you guys at the press conference on Tuesday."

Joining Moore on the flight from Columbia, where he was Missouri's offensive coordinator each of the previous three seasons, was his family, including his wife, Kayla, and their three children: sons Cohen and Crew and daughter Sutton. Also on the flight was WSU interim AD Jon Haarlow, who led the coaching search, as well as team digital media staffer Dayton Byrne.

Moore's introductory news conference is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday.

After greeting fans, Moore and his family headed to Gesa Field, where all five walked around the field. A team photographer snapped pictures, some candid, others posed. On the stadium videoboard was Moore's picture, welcoming him to WSU. The same message beamed across the smaller videoboards that wrap around the stands.

It's hardly Moore's first time at the venue. A native of Prosser, which is about 170 miles west of Pullman, Moore sometimes found himself at Cougar games growing up. A photo of him at the 2012 Apple Cup has been floating around social media throughout the week.

Moore is replacing former coach Jimmy Rogers, who left last weekend for the same job at Iowa State. In less than one calendar year at WSU, Rogers went 6-6, helping lead the Cougars to the Idaho Potato Bowl against Utah State. That game is set for Dec. 22 in Boise.

The Cougars are not expected to owe any buyout on Moore's Mizzou contract, which stipulated that if he were to leave early for a head coach position, his buyout would become zero. The details of his WSU contract have yet to surface.

It remains unclear what Moore's staff will look like.

Moore's coaching career

2025-pres. — Washington State (Head coach)

2023-2025 — Missouri (Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)

2022 — Fresno State (Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)

2020-21 — Fresno State (Wide receivers/passing game coordinator)

2017-19 — Fresno State (Wide receivers)

2015-16 — Washington (Graduate assistant/offense)

2014 — College of Idaho (Wide receivers)

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos