Moore Knows The Score

Backup quarterback fully understands his role

- Antwan Staley

Digest Correspondent

Dolphins backup quarterback Matt Moore has had a lot on his plate recently. After starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill sprained ACL and MCL ligaments in his knee in the third quarter Dec. 11 against the Arizona Cardinals, Moore came in and helped lead the Dolphins to the 26-23 victory.

A day later, Moore’s wife Tara gave birth to their third child, Wyatt.

Moore just handled those sudden changes with a certain Southern California cool, calm, laid-back charm just like it was just another week in the NFL. The reason Moore possibly handles change so well is because of how his career has gone dating back to his collegiate days.

As a senior quarterback at William S. HaasHart High School in Newhall, California, Moore was rated as one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the nation. After high school, Moore decided to play college football at UCLA, where things did not finish the way he had hoped.

Moore was supposed to redshirt as a true freshman in 2002, but an injury to the Bruins’ starting quarterback and backup forced him into action. He appeared in five games with one start as he threw for 412 yards and two touchdowns.

In his sophomore year in 2003, Moore started the season as the Bruins’ starting quarterback in their season opener against the Colorado Buffaloes, but a knee injury put him on the sideline for three weeks. While Moore would play three more games for the Bruins that season, he eventually lost his starting job. After the season, Moore decided to transfer from UCLA.

In January 2005, Moore transferred to Oregon State and he had two solid seasons playing for the Beavers. In 2005, Moore finished with 2,711 passing yards as he finished second in the Pac-12 in passing yards per game (271.1) that season to only Matt Leinart of USC (293.5).