SE: Colby Moore Takes Unexpected Ride to K-State Football, Scholarship
Jul 20, 2018 | Football, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Some of the most memorable and life-changing moments of Colby Moore's life have arrived when he least expected it.
His highlight play at K-State — a fumble recovery from a bad snap on a punt last season against Oklahoma — was the result of a mundane responsibility: Make sure the ball is kicked. Ninety-nine times out of 100, Moore sprints off the line for nothing.
"It was very shocking," Moore said of the play.
So is the way Moore ended up coming to K-State.
Moore was making the long drive from Argyle, Texas, to Colorado for an Air Force Academy football camp. His only scholarship offer at the time was to play quarterback at Army in West Point, New York.
Along the way to Colorado, there was a K-State camp being held in Derby. Moore, in an effort to stay fresh for his Air Force camp, decided to stop in Derby and run a few 40-yard dashes.
"We just stopped and said, 'Heck, let's do it,'" said Moore, who was born in Hays and still has family there. "I really didn't think anything would come out of it, or that they would stop and talk to me. I was just doing it because I was trying to stay fresh."
Moore's times, he said, ranged between 4.4 and 4.5 seconds.
"It was a good day," he said.
His speed caught the attention of K-State associate head coach/special teams coordinator Sean Snyder and then-defensive coordinator Tom Hayes. Eventually, he was given the chance to walk on for the Wildcats.
"My whole goal of playing college football was to play big time college football, so this was my best opportunity," Moore, one of four players to represent K-State at Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday in Frisco, Texas, said. "I loved all the coaches and thought this was a great fit for me, so I ended up choosing K-State."
For four years, Moore paid his dues. He followed the advice of David Smith, a Liberty Christian High School graduate like Moore, and the examples of other players who had walked on like Weston Hiebert, Jonathan Truman, Trent Tanking and Stanton Weber.
"You're going to have to come in as a walk on and you're going to have to put your nose down and grind," Moore said of the advice Smith gave him. "As a walk-on, you're going to have to be known as the guy who's going to have to work harder than everybody else. And it pays off."
Moore always hoped it would pay off in the form of a scholarship. But after four years as a walk-on, he was prepared to finish out his career the same way he came in.
A few weeks after last season, however, he got the phone call. It was from Sean Snyder. Moore was back home, working on his father's A-Mod dirt racecar.
"I thought, 'Heck, someone got stuck at DFW and I have to pick him up,'" Moore laughed. "That was my first thought."
Moore then walked out of his garage to get better service and answered the phone. Snyder asked him what he was doing.
"I'm just working on the racecar," Moore told him.
Snyder cut straight to the point.
"I want to let you know we're putting you on scholarship," he said.
"You have to be kidding me," Moore fired back.
"No, we are putting you on. Congratulations, you earned it," Snyder countered.
"It was an emotional rush," Moore said of the phone call. "It was a blessing and a humbling feeling at the same time."
The moment was special for a few reasons. First, it marked the culmination of years and years of hard work, predating even his time at K-State. Second, it happened while he was working on his father's racecar, a hobby his father gave up when he became serious about football.
"It was kind of fitting," Moore said. "We're working on a racecar and you find out you're on a football scholarship. At the time, I was not thinking football. We just ended the season. I was not thinking about a thing besides having a good week at home."
After telling the rest of his family the good news, Moore started calling former teammates, the ones like Matthew McCrane and Mitch Lochbihler, among others, whom said the moment would come.
"Those guys understood that it was hard for me to be a walk-on," he said, "but they loved everything that I did for the team."
Moore was recruited as a safety, switched to wide receiver, played some scout team quarterback and moved back to safety. His way on the field has, and will likely continue to be, through special teams, however.
He played in nine games as a redshirt freshman, tying for second on the team with eight special teams tackles. He finished fourth in the same category as a redshirt sophomore with seven and tied for second last season with six.
"Colby is a special young guy. He has the leadership capacity, particularly with our special teams. He's on all of our special teams units. He's a guy that takes that element of the game very, very seriously," K-State head coach Bill Snyder said at Big 12 Media Days. "He's a competitive young guy and still, even though he's a backup on defense, he's a good leader with our defensive group as well. He's just one of those guys who's going to play as hard as he possibly can. You're going to get the very best that he's got available every time you snap the ball. He's very representative of the kind of player we like to have in our program."
Considering Moore never expected to be part of the program before some convenient timing aligned him with a K-State camp, the fifth-year senior said he hopes others in his position take the same leap of faith.
"I was fortunate enough to say, 'Hey, I walked on. I earned my way. I was able to play as a walk on. It didn't slow me down any,'" he said. "That's something that if some kid looking now is going, 'Should I walk on to any university?' Go take the chance. I made it. Anyone can do it."
Some of the most memorable and life-changing moments of Colby Moore's life have arrived when he least expected it.
His highlight play at K-State — a fumble recovery from a bad snap on a punt last season against Oklahoma — was the result of a mundane responsibility: Make sure the ball is kicked. Ninety-nine times out of 100, Moore sprints off the line for nothing.
"It was very shocking," Moore said of the play.
So is the way Moore ended up coming to K-State.
Moore was making the long drive from Argyle, Texas, to Colorado for an Air Force Academy football camp. His only scholarship offer at the time was to play quarterback at Army in West Point, New York.
Along the way to Colorado, there was a K-State camp being held in Derby. Moore, in an effort to stay fresh for his Air Force camp, decided to stop in Derby and run a few 40-yard dashes.
"We just stopped and said, 'Heck, let's do it,'" said Moore, who was born in Hays and still has family there. "I really didn't think anything would come out of it, or that they would stop and talk to me. I was just doing it because I was trying to stay fresh."
Moore's times, he said, ranged between 4.4 and 4.5 seconds.
"It was a good day," he said.
His speed caught the attention of K-State associate head coach/special teams coordinator Sean Snyder and then-defensive coordinator Tom Hayes. Eventually, he was given the chance to walk on for the Wildcats.
"My whole goal of playing college football was to play big time college football, so this was my best opportunity," Moore, one of four players to represent K-State at Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday in Frisco, Texas, said. "I loved all the coaches and thought this was a great fit for me, so I ended up choosing K-State."
For four years, Moore paid his dues. He followed the advice of David Smith, a Liberty Christian High School graduate like Moore, and the examples of other players who had walked on like Weston Hiebert, Jonathan Truman, Trent Tanking and Stanton Weber.
"You're going to have to come in as a walk on and you're going to have to put your nose down and grind," Moore said of the advice Smith gave him. "As a walk-on, you're going to have to be known as the guy who's going to have to work harder than everybody else. And it pays off."
Moore always hoped it would pay off in the form of a scholarship. But after four years as a walk-on, he was prepared to finish out his career the same way he came in.
A few weeks after last season, however, he got the phone call. It was from Sean Snyder. Moore was back home, working on his father's A-Mod dirt racecar.
"I thought, 'Heck, someone got stuck at DFW and I have to pick him up,'" Moore laughed. "That was my first thought."
Moore then walked out of his garage to get better service and answered the phone. Snyder asked him what he was doing.
"I'm just working on the racecar," Moore told him.
Snyder cut straight to the point.
"I want to let you know we're putting you on scholarship," he said.
"You have to be kidding me," Moore fired back.
"No, we are putting you on. Congratulations, you earned it," Snyder countered.
"It was an emotional rush," Moore said of the phone call. "It was a blessing and a humbling feeling at the same time."
The moment was special for a few reasons. First, it marked the culmination of years and years of hard work, predating even his time at K-State. Second, it happened while he was working on his father's racecar, a hobby his father gave up when he became serious about football.
"It was kind of fitting," Moore said. "We're working on a racecar and you find out you're on a football scholarship. At the time, I was not thinking football. We just ended the season. I was not thinking about a thing besides having a good week at home."
After telling the rest of his family the good news, Moore started calling former teammates, the ones like Matthew McCrane and Mitch Lochbihler, among others, whom said the moment would come.
"Those guys understood that it was hard for me to be a walk-on," he said, "but they loved everything that I did for the team."
Moore was recruited as a safety, switched to wide receiver, played some scout team quarterback and moved back to safety. His way on the field has, and will likely continue to be, through special teams, however.
He played in nine games as a redshirt freshman, tying for second on the team with eight special teams tackles. He finished fourth in the same category as a redshirt sophomore with seven and tied for second last season with six.
"Colby is a special young guy. He has the leadership capacity, particularly with our special teams. He's on all of our special teams units. He's a guy that takes that element of the game very, very seriously," K-State head coach Bill Snyder said at Big 12 Media Days. "He's a competitive young guy and still, even though he's a backup on defense, he's a good leader with our defensive group as well. He's just one of those guys who's going to play as hard as he possibly can. You're going to get the very best that he's got available every time you snap the ball. He's very representative of the kind of player we like to have in our program."
Considering Moore never expected to be part of the program before some convenient timing aligned him with a K-State camp, the fifth-year senior said he hopes others in his position take the same leap of faith.
"I was fortunate enough to say, 'Hey, I walked on. I earned my way. I was able to play as a walk on. It didn't slow me down any,'" he said. "That's something that if some kid looking now is going, 'Should I walk on to any university?' Go take the chance. I made it. Anyone can do it."
Players Mentioned
P
/ Football
K
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballK-State FB | Welcome back Collin Klein
Monday, December 08
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Radio Interview
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Official Introductory Event
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Thank You Coach Klieman
Wednesday, December 03
