Kirby Moore Brings Proven QB Development Pedigree to Washington State

The Cougs' new head coach has the potential to ignite WSU's quarterback room

Sep 20, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars helmet sits during a game against the Washington Huskies in the first half of Apple Cup at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

COACHING TIMELINE

2014 – College of Idaho – Wide Receivers Coach  

2015–2016 – University of Washington – Offensive Graduate Assistant  

2017–2019 – Fresno State – Wide Receivers Coach  

2020–2021 – Fresno State – Wide Receivers Coach / Passing Game Coordinator  

2022 – Fresno State – Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach  

2023–2025 – University of Missouri – Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach  

2025–Present – Washington State University – Head Football Coach

At 35 years old, Kirby Moore has been named the 36th head coach of Washington State football. Moore hails from Prosser, Washington, and comes from a strong football lineage, as he is the son of legendary Prosser High School head coach Tom Moore and the brother of former Boise State star and current New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore.

As a player, Moore followed in his brother’s footsteps, playing wide receiver at Boise State from 2009 to 2013. Over four seasons, including two as a starter, Moore hauled in 115 passes for 1,137 yards and six touchdowns. During that span, he was part of a Boise State program that went 45–8, won a WAC Championship (2009) and a Mountain West Co-Championship (2012), made four bowl appearances, and finished in the Top 25 in three of the four seasons — no stranger to winning football.

Moore began his coaching career in 2014 at the College of Idaho as the wide receivers coach. He then broke into the FBS ranks as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington under his former Boise State head coach, Chris Petersen, where he was part of the Huskies’ 2016 Pac-12 Championship team that reached the College Football Playoff.

From 2017 through 2019, Moore served as the wide receivers coach at Fresno State before being named passing game coordinator for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He was then elevated to full-time offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, where his coaching played a major role in the development of one of the best quarterbacks in Fresno State history, Jake Haener.

Following his success at Fresno State, Moore was hired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Missouri, a role he held from 2023 through the 2025 season. During that span, he helped lead the Tigers to a 29–9 record. Along the way, Moore worked closely with several high-profile quarterbacks, the most notable of whom are outlined below.

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JAKE HAENER (2020–2022)

Dec 17, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs quarterback Jake Haener (9) drops back to throw a pass against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Jake Haener began his decorated Fresno State career in Moore’s offense in 2020, when Moore was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach, and continued through 2022, when Moore became the full-time offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

In their first year together, Haener’s first as the starter, Fresno State finished as the No. 1 offense in the Mountain West, averaging 479 yards of total offense per game. Individually, Haener led the conference with 356 passing yards per game, which ranked fifth nationally.

Their second season together proved just as productive. Fresno State again led the Mountain West in passing, averaging 465 yards of total offense per game, while also ranking Top 10 nationally in passing yards per game (315) and total passing yards (4,096). Haener earned All–Mountain West Second Team honors.

In 2022, Moore took over as the full-time offensive coordinator, and Haener went on to earn First Team All–Mountain West honors for the first time, despite missing four games due to injury. That season, Moore and Haener led the Bulldogs to a 10–4 record, highlighted by a Mountain West Conference Championship and a victory in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.

Haener finished his Fresno State career ranking in the Top 5 of several all-time school categories — including 9,013 passing yards (4th) and 67 passing touchdowns (5th) — while also earning multiple conference honors and a 2021 Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist selection. He was selected in the fourth round (127th overall) of the NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, where he still plays today.

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BRADY COOK (2023–2024)

Oct 19, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) throws a pass during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Brady Cook was Moore’s first quarterback at Missouri and was highly productive during their time together. In 2023, Cook started all 13 games, completing 66% of his passes for 3,317 yards and 21 touchdowns against six interceptions. That season, Missouri finished 11–2 and capped it with a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, a game in which Cook was named MVP.  His production during the 2023 season led him to being a Davey O’Brien Award semi-finalist.

Cook finished his career at Missouri as one of the most productive quarterbacks to come through the program, having passed for 9,013 yards and 49 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,209 yards and 20 touchdowns. The New York Jets signed Cook as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft, and he is coming off his first NFL start against Jacksonville. He is set to make another start this coming weekend against the Saints.

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