MU's Moore Blames Injuries for His Fall in Production

[metalfalcon]

MU’s Moore blames injuries for his fall in production

By RANDY COVITZ

The Kansas City Star

Missouri safety William Moore is a mystery. Coaches and general managers throughout the NFL are trying to figure which season was the fluke and which was the real deal.

Was it a fluke in 2007 when Moore tied for the NCAA lead with a school-record eight interceptions, made 117 tackles, was a second-team All-American and set himself up to be a first-round draft pick as a senior?

Or was the fluke in 2008 when Moore had just one interception, made 86 tackles, was second-team All-Big 12 and is now expected to be a second- to third-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.?

It all depends on which game tapes NFL teams watch. If they study 2007, they’ll see Moore playing all 14 games and taking charge of the Missouri defense. If they study 2008, they’ll see Moore playing most of the season in pain because of a sprained foot he suffered in the season opener against Illinois.

“It’s not a fluke what you saw in 2007; it’s just you deal with injuries sometimes and you have to bounce back from it,” Moore said.

“The 2008 film is very important, because they know what I can do good on the field. They’re curious about my production. Why did it slip? They want to look at 2008 to see if it was my ability or my position or was it my durability as far as being healthy. I also go back and watch that film and see what can I do different.”

Moore has no regrets about coming back so soon from the sprained foot. He sat out the second game of the season against Southeast Missouri but aggravated the foot injury the next week against Nevada. He sat out one more game against Buffalo, but when the conference season began, Moore could sit no longer.

“It was my senior season,” Moore explained. “I’m one of those types of guys who tries to lead by example. If I sit out five games and am in the background yelling ‘Be tough, be tough …’ ”

So Moore toughed it out, even though his production and draft stock dropped.

“He didn’t have the big year,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said of Moore. “He didn’t have the big plays he did as a junior. He didn’t play as well overall when he entered the year as a top-10 guy. His stock has dropped to the point where he is battling to be a first-round pick, and probably more of a second-round pick.”

Moore said because the foot did not get to completely heal during the season, it affected his mobility.

“It was one of those things I had to battle with throughout the season, especially when playing the nickel position,” he said. “I covered the fastest guys on the field … from the slot.”

Still, Moore believes he benefited from playing different spots in the secondary.

“You can look at it both ways,” he said. “I never got a chance to settle in and master one position. But it was great to be versatile and move around from free to strong and then play the nickel position. I hope scouts see I have versatility to come down in the box and also cover the field. I was willing to do whatever coach asked me.”

And he not only displayed a knack for the football, but Moore excelled at returning interceptions for sizable yardage. Of his 11 career interceptions, Moore returned a school-record four for touchdowns.

“I was a receiver at first, and they converted me to the defensive side of the ball,” said Moore, who caught 34 touchdown passes during his high school career in Hayti, Mo. “That has a lot to do with my eye for the ball … and great timing, great film study.”

In preparation for the draft, Moore, who is 6 feet 1 1/8, weighed in at 221 pounds at the NFL scouting combine after playing at 230 for Missouri.

“To prove the doubters,” said Moore, who expects to play strong safety in the NFL. “I’ve been hearing a lot of ‘He might be too big.’ I’m one of those type of guys who will lose weight … I’m going to still play hard and am willing to take the extra step and see if my weight is the big difference. I take ideas. I lost that weight intentionally. We’ll see. 2007 was one of my best years, and I played at 235 pounds. I don’t think weight is a big issue.

“I worked harder after the 2007 season to get better. But you face injuries sometimes. It just didn’t pan out the way I hoped.”

LINK

[Norm Van Brocklin]

When he was "healthy," he stunk it up at the Senior Bowl. IDK about this guy. He seems like a big project in coverage. If we draft him, I will eat crow and support him all the way. That being said, I would rather have Delmas, Johnson, or Chung...

[hakim24]

When he was "healthy," he stunk it up at the Senior Bowl. IDK about this guy. He seems like a big project in coverage. If we draft him, I will eat crow and support him all the way. That being said, I would rather have Delmas, Johnson, or Chung...

I guess you skipped over these parts.

By RANDY COVITZ

The Kansas City Star

Missouri safety William Moore is a mystery. Coaches and general managers throughout the NFL are trying to figure which season was the fluke and which was the real deal.

Was it a fluke in 2007 when Moore tied for the NCAA lead with a school-record eight interceptions, made 117 tackles, was a second-team All-American and set himself up to be a first-round draft pick as a senior?

Or was the fluke in 2008 when Moore had just one interception, made 86 tackles, was second-team All-Big 12 and is now expected to be a second- to third-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.?

It all depends on which game tapes NFL teams watch. If they study 2007, they’ll see Moore playing all 14 games and taking charge of the Missouri defense. If they study 2008, they’ll see Moore playing most of the season in pain because of a sprained foot he suffered in the season opener against Illinois.

“It’s not a fluke what you saw in 2007; it’s just you deal with injuries sometimes and you have to bounce back from it,” Moore said.

“The 2008 film is very important, because they know what I can do good on the field. They’re curious about my production. Why did it slip? They want to look at 2008 to see if it was my ability or my position or was it my durability as far as being healthy. I also go back and watch that film and see what can I do different.”

Moore has no regrets about coming back so soon from the sprained foot. He sat out the second game of the season against Southeast Missouri but aggravated the foot injury the next week against Nevada. He sat out one more game against Buffalo, but when the conference season began, Moore could sit no longer.

“It was my senior season,” Moore explained. “I’m one of those types of guys who tries to lead by example. If I sit out five games and am in the background yelling ‘Be tough, be tough …’ ”

So Moore toughed it out, even though his production and draft stock dropped.

“He didn’t have the big year,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said of Moore. “He didn’t have the big plays he did as a junior. He didn’t play as well overall when he entered the year as a top-10 guy. His stock has dropped to the point where he is battling to be a first-round pick, and probably more of a second-round pick.”

Moore said because the foot did not get to completely heal during the season, it affected his mobility.

“It was one of those things I had to battle with throughout the season, especially when playing the nickel position,” he said. “I covered the fastest guys on the field … from the slot.”

Still, Moore believes he benefited from playing different spots in the secondary.

“You can look at it both ways,” he said. “I never got a chance to settle in and master one position. But it was great to be versatile and move around from free to strong and then play the nickel position. I hope scouts see I have versatility to come down in the box and also cover the field. I was willing to do whatever coach asked me.”

And he not only displayed a knack for the football, but Moore excelled at returning interceptions for sizable yardage. Of his 11 career interceptions, Moore returned a school-record four for touchdowns.

“I was a receiver at first, and they converted me to the defensive side of the ball,” said Moore, who caught 34 touchdown passes during his high school career in Hayti, Mo. “That has a lot to do with my eye for the ball … and great timing, great film study.”

In preparation for the draft, Moore, who is 6 feet 1 1/8, weighed in at 221 pounds at the NFL scouting combine after playing at 230 for Missouri.

“To prove the doubters,” said Moore, who expects to play strong safety in the NFL. “I’ve been hearing a lot of ‘He might be too big.’ I’m one of those type of guys who will lose weight … I’m going to still play hard and am willing to take the extra step and see if my weight is the big difference. I take ideas. I lost that weight intentionally. We’ll see. 2007 was one of my best years, and I played at 235 pounds. I don’t think weight is a big issue.

“I worked harder after the 2007 season to get better. But you face injuries sometimes. It just didn’t pan out the way I hoped.”

LINK

[Norm Van Brocklin]

I guess you skipped over these parts.

By RANDY COVITZ

The Kansas City Star

Missouri safety William Moore is a mystery. Coaches and general managers throughout the NFL are trying to figure which season was the fluke and which was the real deal.

Was it a fluke in 2007 when Moore tied for the NCAA lead with a school-record eight interceptions, made 117 tackles, was a second-team All-American and set himself up to be a first-round draft pick as a senior?

Or was the fluke in 2008 when Moore had just one interception, made 86 tackles, was second-team All-Big 12 and is now expected to be a second- to third-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.?

It all depends on which game tapes NFL teams watch. If they study 2007, they’ll see Moore playing all 14 games and taking charge of the Missouri defense. If they study 2008, they’ll see Moore playing most of the season in pain because of a sprained foot he suffered in the season opener against Illinois.

“It’s not a fluke what you saw in 2007; it’s just you deal with injuries sometimes and you have to bounce back from it,” Moore said.

“The 2008 film is very important, because they know what I can do good on the field. They’re curious about my production. Why did it slip? They want to look at 2008 to see if it was my ability or my position or was it my durability as far as being healthy. I also go back and watch that film and see what can I do different.”

Moore has no regrets about coming back so soon from the sprained foot. He sat out the second game of the season against Southeast Missouri but aggravated the foot injury the next week against Nevada. He sat out one more game against Buffalo, but when the conference season began, Moore could sit no longer.

“It was my senior season,” Moore explained. “I’m one of those types of guys who tries to lead by example. If I sit out five games and am in the background yelling ‘Be tough, be tough …’ ”

So Moore toughed it out, even though his production and draft stock dropped.

“He didn’t have the big year,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said of Moore. “He didn’t have the big plays he did as a junior. He didn’t play as well overall when he entered the year as a top-10 guy. His stock has dropped to the point where he is battling to be a first-round pick, and probably more of a second-round pick.”

Moore said because the foot did not get to completely heal during the season, it affected his mobility.

“It was one of those things I had to battle with throughout the season, especially when playing the nickel position,” he said. “I covered the fastest guys on the field … from the slot.”

Still, Moore believes he benefited from playing different spots in the secondary.

“You can look at it both ways,” he said. “I never got a chance to settle in and master one position. But it was great to be versatile and move around from free to strong and then play the nickel position. I hope scouts see I have versatility to come down in the box and also cover the field. I was willing to do whatever coach asked me.”

And he not only displayed a knack for the football, but Moore excelled at returning interceptions for sizable yardage. Of his 11 career interceptions, Moore returned a school-record four for touchdowns.

“I was a receiver at first, and they converted me to the defensive side of the ball,” said Moore, who caught 34 touchdown passes during his high school career in Hayti, Mo. “That has a lot to do with my eye for the ball … and great timing, great film study.”

In preparation for the draft, Moore, who is 6 feet 1 1/8, weighed in at 221 pounds at the NFL scouting combine after playing at 230 for Missouri.

“To prove the doubters,” said Moore, who expects to play strong safety in the NFL. “I’ve been hearing a lot of ‘He might be too big.’ I’m one of those type of guys who will lose weight … I’m going to still play hard and am willing to take the extra step and see if my weight is the big difference. I take ideas. I lost that weight intentionally. We’ll see. 2007 was one of my best years, and I played at 235 pounds. I don’t think weight is a big issue.

“I worked harder after the 2007 season to get better. But you face injuries sometimes. It just didn’t pan out the way I hoped.”

LINK

no i saw it, doesn't tell me why he was awful in the senior bowl, but whatever...

[nick h]

didn't they play man in the senior bowl? not saying that he didn't play terrible because he did but i think he's much better set up to just play deep and roam, or get in the box, not line up against a receiver. correct me if im wrong