Oklahoma's Eighth Alabama Pioneer: 'Zero Star' LB Kristan Moore's Bet and OU's Belief

NORMAN — In 131 seasons of Oklahoma football, only seven players from Alabama have made the roughly 700-mile trek to suit up in Norman. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania (9), New York (9) and even the apparent-football hotbed of New Mexico (28) have all sent more of their sons to wear the Crimson and Cream.

That number is now ticking up to eight with the arrival of self-identified "zero star" linebacker Kristan Moore from Selma, AL.

"Not too many get this type of opportunity," Moore said last week during Oklahoma Spring Media Day.

He’s right in more ways than one.

Moore’s recruiting journey and ranking tell a story of self-belief. Though he likes to joke that he was a “zero-star,” 247Sports actually rated him a three-star prospect — a nod, he admits, to his move from defensive end to middle linebacker. It was a gamble, one he says forced him to “bet on himself and learn the hard way.”

He’s charting a new path from the Yellowhammer State to the Sooner State — a road not too many have followed before him.

Bauer Sharp, Oklahoma Sooner — Bauer Sharp against the LSU Tigers Nov 30, 2024 | SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite Oklahoma's elite national brand that can walk into any living room in America and recruit, the state of Alabama has largely eluded the Sooner football machine. One of the most famous recruiting wars of the post-2000s was the tug-of-war between OU and the Alabama Crimson Tide for superstar receiver Julio Jones out of Foley, AL. Jones chose to stay home.

Oklahoma most recently landed an Alabama native in tight end Bauer Sharp for 2024. Like the sparse list of prep stars from the state to reach Norman, Sharp's Sooners tenure proved equally fleeting.

But Moore's journey from Selma to Norman didn't garner any message board back-and-forths between opposing fanbases. His was a one-in-a-million chance.

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Moore had to do "damn near everything perfect" and did at offseason camps just to grab attention. One in particular caught the eye of general manager Jim Nagy. The two struck up a text relationship where Moore would send Nagy game footage and ask his opinion on how he could improve.

"I sent to Nagy and asked 'Hey coach, what do you think I could do better?'" Moore said. "He told me, 'Get lower in your stance, you strike better, you move better.' The next game I did that, and he was right. I felt a lot better."

Moore came to campus to attend OU's 24-13 victory over Michigan. After summer camps and the victory over Michigan, Moore had already fallen in love with the idea of being a Sooner, despite not having an offer. This was an exercise in manifestation. If it was going to happen, he had to work while believing it could be a reality.

Oklahoma Sooners from Alabama

Kenneth Campbell, Montgomery, AL (1944)
Harley Smalley, Birmingham, AL (1944)
Doug White, Huntsville, AL (1977)
Maurice "Mo" Little, Tuscaloosa, AL via Coffeyville CC (1996-1997)
Dwayne Orso-Bacchus, Birmingham, AL (2014-2017)
Davon Mitchell, York, AL (via Los Alamitos, CA, 2024)
Bauer Sharp, Dothan, AL via Southeastern Louisiana (2024)
Kristan Moore, Selma, AL (2026-)

"I was just praying," Moore said. "Sent Jim, 'I really want to come here. This is where I want to play football.' I was just praying and hoping that I would get the phone call."

OU was preparing to play LSU while Moore was enjoying his birthday on Thanksgiving. That day, Moore got an interesting phone call from linebacker coach Nate Dreiling, who informed Moore that his twin sister had a full-ride scholarship to Oklahoma — the best news Moore could have asked for.

But not all of it.

“Hey, can I make another birthday wish come true?" Dreiling asked him. "I want you to know you have a full ride to Oklahoma.”

"I was speechless," Moore said. "I hugged my brother. I cried a little bit. As a kid from where I'm from, I want to say too many people don’t get a chance like that, opportunity – especially I'm a zero star. It was just a blessing really."

Oklahoma Sooners Nate Dreiling — Oklahoma linebackers coach Nate Dreiling | John E. Hoover / Sooners On SI

Moore had no problem wearing OU gear back home after he made his pledge. Oklahoma had already beaten Alabama in Tuscaloosa earlier that month — though the Tide got their revenge later in the College Football Playoff.

Rivalries run deep, especially when you're homegrown. Those hometown ties can tug at the heartstrings — even splitting families right down the middle.

"I think my mom, she was big on the Alabama-Oklahoma game," Moore said with a chuckle. "And when Alabama won, she kind of really in my face a little bit. But everybody from home had so much support for me coming up here. I think everybody was just really happy for me."

With Moore's dream realized, now he has to make something of it. He's already struck up a great relationship with Oklahoma star linebacker Kip Lewis, who he's excited to learn from.

Oklahoma Sooners, Kip Lewis — Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis celebrates in the CFP against Alabama. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

"I think Kip made me understand linebacker more," Moore said. "But even the other players, coming around other linebackers like me, they helping me, teaching, they helping me learn the game or even how I play.

At first when I first got here, I didn't know what I was looking at. But it's a big difference from coming from a place like (Selma) and coming to a SEC school that have everything," Moore continued. "So like I say, it was a big jump, but right now I feel like I'm learning."

While Moore is a pioneer for Alabama preps players coming to Norman to play football, he's also the first wave of what could be even more.

The 2027 recruiting class — currently ranked No. 1 nationally — features three Alabama high school standouts who have verbally committed to Oklahoma: Jaylen Scott (Mobile), Jamison Roberts (Saraland), and Tra’Von Hall (Tuscaloosa).

Moore and Nagy have picked up on it.

"'Bama Nation,' 'Bama Sooners' – that's the thing Jim Nagy made up," Moore said. "I kind of feel happy to have more people come from Bama to see OU for what it is.

"It's a great program, great defensive program," Moore added. "I feel like (Brent Venables) will have the best linebacker group in the nation right now. So I'm just really really excited for this upcoming season."

Players and home state research courtesy of Soonerstats.com and Oklahoma football historian Mike Brooks.