WSU football coach Kirby Moore speaks on addition of QB Caden Pinnick

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Feb. 4—PULLMAN — For the second consecutive offseason, Washington State's football program is turning a new page under a first-year head coach. After three years as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Missouri, Kirby Moore takes the reins in Pullman with a strong incoming class of recruits and transfers.

At the forefront of that transition is a young dual-threat quarterback with high potential, Caden Pinnick. Pinnick is coming off of a stellar freshman season at UC Davis, where he led the Aggies to an FCS quarterfinal appearance and a 9-4 record.

"His mobility is a bonus for third-and-short and red-zone situations," Moore said during a news conference Wednesday. "When you have a guy who can make things happen with his feet, it puts stress on the defense and opens up more opportunities for everyone else."

Moore is well known for his ability to develop quarterbacks. Paired with Pinnick's raw dual-threat ability, Moore expects the young quarterback to thrive in the Cougars' system.

"You look at Caden Pinnick, the impact that he had there as a freshman at UC Davis," Moore said. "Right away when Caden went in the portal, you're evaluating the film, you see his versatility. Obviously, you know he can throw the ball and make a variety of throws, as well as extend plays every once in a while."

The Fresno, California, native earned Big Sky Freshman of the Year honors after compiling 3,206 passing yards with 32 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing 69.6% of his passes. He also rushed for 437 yards and three touchdowns.

At Fresno State, Moore played a key role in developing Jake Haener, one of the most efficient passers in the program's history. At Missouri, he did the same with Brady Cook.

Moore pointed to a defining moment from that journey when asked about his approach to developing Pinnick. He explained that when he first got to Missouri, he tried to install a lot of the same passing concepts that he used at Fresno State. Cook told him he didn't like the concepts.

"At that moment I had to drop my ego. It's about the quarterback and what he's comfortable with because he's got to make the throws," Moore said.

As the spring season unfolds, Pinnick and Moore will get an opportunity to develop chemistry and get the offense competing at a high level moving into the first season of the new-look Pac-12.

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