Whack a Moll? New UW Linebacker Doesn't Mind a Little Contact At All

Kris Moll's first reaction was genuine surprise when he entered the transfer portal and University of Washington co-defensive coordinator Bill Inge called him.

He was a two-time All-Conference USA linebacker for UAB, or Alabama Birmingham, and a Miami native, definitely Southern fried all the way through.

"I was like, 'Wow, the Washington Huskies? The purple team?' " Moll recalled. "I'd always seen them on TV and I wouldn't have thought I'd be all the way up here. Not one day in my life was I thinking that."

Yet he's here in Seattle, even celebrating his 23rd birthday on Friday with his teammates serenading him following practice as a light drizzle fell on Husky Stadium.

Then it was off to meet with the Seattle media for the first time since joining Kalen DeBoer's team.

In Moll, his inquisitors interacted with someone with a lazy drawl, a bald head, a thick beard and a look in his eye that says he might be a fearless player.

"I'm not the biggest and the strongest, but I'm pretty quick," Moll said. "I try to use that to my advantage, and use my smarts with my quickness."

He comes to the UW after playing in a whopping 51 games for the Blazers over five seasons, appearing in three bowl games and three Conference USA championship games. A physical presence, he has 279 career tackles.

He's gone up against showcase teams such as Florida, Miami, Tennessee and Texas A&M, but not Power 5 conference play on a regular basis. This is his chance.

"I just felt like it was my time to move on," Moll said. "I also wanted to show the NFL scouts I can play at a bigger level. I was at a G-5 level. Obviously I have dreams and aspirations to play in the NFL. This was my decision just to be able to go on a big stage."

Moll initially committed to Central Florida (UCF), a school that new Husky quarterback and Tampa native Michael Penix Jr. strongly considered after leaving Indiana, and the linebacker received late offers from Texas and Kansas, but he liked what Washington had to offer.

While he's a linebacker by trade, Moll also played some safety for UAB and the Huskies wouldn't hesitate to use him there if the need arose. He might be better suited for the NFL by proving himself in the secondary.

"I told the coaches they can move me wherever they want to," he said. "Wherever they can use me at, I'll play. Honestly, I just want to get on the field."

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