What Offensive Coordinator Kirby Moore's Departure Means for Mizzou

Another task was added to Eli Drinkwitz's offseason to-do list Friday afternoon, with Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore reportedly being hired as Washington State's next head coach.

Moore had been with Missouri for each of the past three seasons after one year as Fresno State's offensive coordinator. He took over a Missouri offense that finished 10th in the SEC in points per game and 11th in yards per game in 2022 to the top six of both of those categories in 2023.

He was the first offensive coordinator that Drinkwitz hired in his time at Missouri. Drinkwitz's decision was motivated by the growing demands of a head coach that came with the transfer portal and NIL. Giving up the play calling duties allowed Drinkwitz more time to handle what have become the most important duties of a college head coach.

"I spent so much time worried about Xs and Os that I forgot about the mindset of our players, making sure that was ready each and every week," Drinkwitz said in 2023, reflecting on the decision. "... I needed to step back and say the job as a head coach is to build this team, empower other people to do their jobs, and really build connections amongst our players from player-to player, coach-to player, and from our team to our university and community."

Moore's offensive strength was with the vertical passing game. He meshed his passing concepts with the wide-zone run concepts that were, and continued to be, the bread and butter of Drinkwitz's offenses.

The Moore-led passing game was succesful in 2023, averaging the sixth-most passing yards in the conference. But in 2024, the passing game faltered. In 2025, it was arguably the worst aspect of Missouri's entire team and held back an offense that included one of the best rushing attacks in the country. It didn't help that Missouri dealt with significant injuries to its quarterback rooms in each of those two seasons.

Missouri's play calling also felt stale at times in 2025. In Week 11, Texas A&M's defense was able to predict Missouri's offensive play call at the line of scrimmage before the ball was snapped. It was also evident in Missouri's Week 13 loss at Oklahoma, where the Tigers had five three-and-outs, being unable to challenge the Sooners despite trailing by just two possessions for the entirety of the second half.

“We had zero rhythm, zero creativity," Drinkwitz said of the offense after the loss to Oklahoma. "We were run, pass, pass. It didn’t work in the second half.”

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Adepoju Adebawore (34) and Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kendal Daniels (5) bring down Missouri Tigers quarterback Beau Pribula (9) and during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Missouri Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. Oklahoma won 17-6. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Whoever takes over Missouri's offense will have the challenge of doing a makeover of the passing attack.

The run game, however, has the tools to be elite again next season, with rising junior Ahmad Hardy expected to return. Hardy's 1,560 rushing yards were the second most in the country. Jamal Roberts, a rising redshirt junior, was also a reliable, powerful runner in 2025, rushing for 697 yards.

Drinkwitz's run game at Missouri has produced three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, which recognizes the nation's best running back, over the last five seasons. Drinkwitz's run game was still the staple of the offense under Moore, and that should be expected to continue under the new coordinator.

Drinkwitz should have the resources he needs to hire the ideal candidate, as the extension Drinkwitz signed in November included a raise for the salary pool of his assistant coaching staff, going from $12 million to $16 million. This could also help Drinkwitz be able to retain any assistants that Moore might try to take with him to the West Coast.

Missouri will also have another challenge in retaining its current roster, as some might look to follow Moore to Washington State through the transfer portal. However, the new hire at coordinator might bring along a host of players with him. Because of this, the Tigers will likely look to hire Moore's replacement before Jan. 2, when the college football transfer portal officially opens.

If Missouri is able to retain its roster, the Tigers will have solid continuity on the offense, with all but three of the unit's 2025 starters still having eligibility remaining. The graduating group includes wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr., center Connor Tollison and offensive tackle Keagen Trost. Junior offensive tackle Cayden Green could join that group if he decides to declare for the NFL draft.

The new coordinator will have the challenge of getting more production out of the quarterback position in 2025. With the offense being predicated on the succesful wide-zone run game, it's important for the quarterback to be able to move horizontally in the pocket and throw off platform.

Missouri has what Drinkwitz believes to be the "future" of the quarterback position for the program in rising sophomore Matt Zollers, who appeared in six games for Missouri in 2025, starting in two of them. Rising redshirt senior Beau Pribula was the starter for most of the season for the Tigers.

Part of what made Zollers the future of the position for the program was the way he fit in Missouri's offensive scheme under Moore. His arm strength and creativity in the pocket are what made him a good fit for Moore and Drinkwitz's passing game. Pribula's rushing ability also made him a fit.

At wide receiver, Missouri will look to retain Donovan Olugbode, who proved to be a star in his true freshman season. He made several jaw-dropping catches en route to 325 receiving yards during his true freshman season.

Who Drinkwitz hires to replace Moore should be telling of the direction he wants the offense to go in. Getting this hire right could be the first step in unlocking what Missouri has been lacking in the last two seasons.

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