After Fateful Knee Injury, Quentin Moore Starts Over as Spring Ball Begins

When University of Washington spring football practice opens on Tuesday afternoon, tight end Quentin Moore will start over.

He'll begin the long process of reclaiming his starting job that he lost midway through the second quarter of the season opener against Weber State to a needless injury, just 15 offensive plays into the new season, following just one catch.

For those who need a refresher, Moore was drilled in the knee after he caught a 14-yard pass and was blindsided by Weber State linebacker Garrett Beck, who rushed off the sideline illegally to make contact, apparently realizing he should have been in there and trying to make amends.

Either way, Moore's supposed senior season was done practically before it got started, forcing him to petition for another year.

As spring ball begins, he'll enter a tight-end competition that could be as entertaining to watch as any position battle across the lineup.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Moore will mix in with sophomore Decker DeGraaf, coming off a freshman All-America season; 6-foot-4, 250-pound USC transfer Cade Eldridge, a local player who has returned home; and even 6-foot-6, 245-pound junior Ryan Otton, who's trying to overcome an injury-riddled career.

"If we can get him where we want him to be, his contribution is going to be significant," coach Jedd Fisch said of Moore.

Considered an exceptional run blocker and steadily improving receiver, Moore was thought to be an NFL prospect when he entered that 2024 season.

"I think the guy is so talented as a pass-catcher and a blocker," UW offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty said. "He's so strong and physical at the point of attack. He really brings a different element."

That said, Moore will enter into a fierce competition with the 6-foot-3, 245-pound DeGraaf, who started five times and caught 3 touchdown passes, for the right to take the field first if not share the field in two tight end formations.

"I think that guy has a chance to be one of the most athletic tight ends in the country," Dougherty said of DeGraaf.

Tight end Quentin Moore is helped off the field by his UW teammates after he was injured against Weber State. | Skylar Lin Visuals

As for that Weber State play that seemed so unfair, with Moore basically cut down because another guy screwed up twice -- by not being on the field initially and then destroying the knee of an unsuspecting opponent -- never brought any sort of sort of acknowledgement or remorse from the Big Sky school.

"That never got addressed from that game," Fisch said. "It was just the officials coming back to me and saying that play was something illegal."

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