Mizzou OC Kirby Moore Interviewed for Head Coach Job of SEC Rival, Per Report

Update: In a press conference on Oct. 14, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz stated that the report that Kirby Moore interviewed for the Arkansas head coach job was a "complete lie." The report originated from On3's Arakansas reporter.

The challenge of holding on to offensive coordinator Kirby Moore has already began for Missouri, per reports.

The third-year offensive coordinator interviewed for the head coaching job at Arkansas on a video call Sunday, per a report from Riley McFerran of On3.

The Arkansas job opened on Sept. 28, with the program firing Sam Pittman after six years with the program. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has taken over as the interim, and has stated interest in becoming the program's permanent head coach after this season. The 64 year old was previously the head coach for the Razorbacks from 2008-11, accumulating a 34-17 record over that time.

While athletic director Hunter Yurachek has said that Petrino will be considered for the permenant position, the program will also look outside of the coaching veteran.

Moore has reportedly become one of those first candidates. Moore's current contract with Missouri is set to expire after the 2025 season. Through the end of the current deal, his buyout is set at $425,000, per ABC17.

He was hired by Missouri in 2022 after three seasons at Fresno State, including one season as the program's offensive coordinator. In 2020 and 2021, he worked as an assistant at Fresno State under now-Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer.

"He's done a really good job leading the offense there (Missouri) and continuing to evolve it," DeBoer said of Moore on a teleconference in 2024.

Moore was the first offensive coordinator that head coach Eli Drinkwitz hired in his tenure with Missouri, looking to hand off play-calling duties to someone else so that Drinkwitz himself could focus on the other responsibilities of being the leader of a program.

"It really just came down to me being more of living my integrity, not just talking about it, but being about it and putting the team first and embracing my role as the head coach." Drinkwitz said after the 2023 season of the decision to no longer call plays. "Kirby Moore came in and did a phenomenal job to coach the offense, call the offense, and couldn't have had it happen any better for us."

After his first two seasons with Missouri, Moore reportedly received interest from a number of programs for head coaching jobs.

Following the 2023 season, Moore said his desire to stay with Missouri came from the continuity the team would have entering 2024.

"I feel very positive about where we're at and where we're going," Moore said in a press conference ahead of the 2023 Cotton Bowl. "I think there are a lot of moving parts in college football right now and we have a lot of continuity moving forward to next season. I'm excited about that."

After the 2024 season, the speculation was that Moore might leave the college ranks entirely to join his brother Kellen Moore's NFL staff with the New Orleans Saints. But Kirby shut down that interest quickly.

"I really don't," Kirby said in the spring when asked if he saw himself joining his brother's staff. "I really enjoy the college game and working with the student athlete in kind of a well-rounded way. Really enjoy it."

So far this season, Moore has led Missouri's offense to soaring success, with the Tigers standing at No. 4 in yards per game (547. 6) and No. 7 in points per game (45.2).

If Moore was to take a job elsewhere this offseason, Missouri could look internally to fill the position. Wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler and quarterbacks assistant Sean Gleeson both have previous coordinator experience.

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