Still More to Give
Jul 15, 2024 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
There stood Austin Moore in his suit, looking like a CEO on his way to a meeting. He stood near the 50-yard line at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Big 12 Football Media Day. He politely spoke to one sportswriter. And then another. And then one of the sportswriters asked the sixth-year senior linebacker, the team captain, the two-time All-Big 12 selection, the man who arrived at Kansas State as a walk-on with zero recruiting stars, and the man who is now entering the twilight of a remarkable career, a simple question: Has any of this sunk in yet?
Moore looked almost puzzled. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder has led K-State in tackles each of the past two seasons, and he is a 28-game starter, and he has spent more time in a film room than Martin Scorsese. He has had plenty of time to soak in his achievements. Darn straight.
"I knew it was possible for me," he said. "It's not like it has completely surprised me or anything."
This is a story about putting in work. And today, at this moment, nobody puts in work like Austin Moore puts in work. He's either in the weight room getting up squats, or he's encouraging a younger player, or he's listening to Coach Trumain Carroll speak about leadership, or he's meeting with his position group, or he's helping lead the defense in drills. He does so much, you see, so much to help K-State succeed, because there's simply no other way.
It's one of the main reasons that Moore, who has a certificate in sales and a minor in business, returned to K-State for a sixth season.
"I want to give everything I possibly have to give to K-State," he said. "Last year, I had more to give, so I'm just happy I have another chance to give more to the program."
Last season, he tied for a team-high 63 tackles to go along with a team-leading 12.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery en route to All-Big 12 Second Team honors, and he earned votes for the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award. In 2022, he posted a team-high 87 tackles and ranked second with 10.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades from the league's coaches.
He has 172 tackles, including 25.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one interception, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his 47-game career.
He needs 78 tackles to become the 27th player in school history to reach 250 career stops.
All this from the proud native of Louisburg, Kansas, who earned 2018 first-team all-state honors as a running back. He earned three all-league honors as a linebacker and two as a running back. He finished his career as a linebacker with 226 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss with five forced fumbles, and rushed for 3,021 yards at Louisburg High School, while earning no recruiting stars. None.
"The most important thing is to believe in yourself," he said. "There are plenty of people who aren't going to believe in you. If you don't believe in yourself, no one is going to make it happen for you. Set realistic goals. Know if you work hard and take care of business you can make it happen."
Moore made it happen.
Blake Seiler, K-State's linebackers coach in 2018, liked the way Moore moved at Louisburg High School. He liked the way Moore played. He offered Moore a chance to walk-on with the Wildcats. Moore had long been a fan of K-State's walk-on tradition. When Chris Klieman was hired as head coach prior to the 2019 season, Moore remained on the roster. He redshirted the 2019 season, played in seven games in 2020, earned a scholarship, and played in all 13 games while making his first-career start against Kansas in 2021.
Klieman at the time called Moore "a quiet kid," but added that Moore "was one of the best communicators on the field."
For Moore, his emergence was a step-by-step process.
"I had some role models like Dalton Schoen, who was a walk-on my freshman year," Moore said. "He was someone I always looked up to. Seeing him as a captain, that was one of my goals. I just tried to take it year by year and create goals for myself. First, make it as a special teams player, then as a backup, and then as a starter. I just tried to cut it up year by year."
It was during the 2019 season that Moore earned his nickname "The Machine" — a nickname bestowed upon him by then-defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton due to Moore's stoic, studious nature.
"I'm kind of a shy guy, but even more so back then," Moore said. "I was locked in almost like a robot. On the football field, I was working hard. It was really consistent day in and day out, kind of like a robot."
What can Klieman say about Moore today?
"What more can you say about 'The Machine?'" Klieman said at Big 12 Football Media Day. "Our program is so fortunate to have Austin come back for a sixth year. That's one thing that was really important to Coach Steve Stanard (linebackers coach) and I to try and get him to come back for another year.
"He's one of the best leaders I've been around. We've been around some really good leaders in Eli Huggins, Kade Warner and Daniel Green. Austin Moore might trump them all in his ability to lead the whole football team."
Defensive end Brendan Mott further placed Moore's importance into perspective.
"He's the leader of our defense and of our team," Mott said. "Austin Moore is the epitome of what K-State is all about and what a walk-on is all about. He's a hard-working kid and he's nicknamed 'The Machine' for a reason."
Moore enters his sixth season on the cusp of reaching rare air in the annals of K-State walk-on tradition. He has a chance to join Ian Campbell, B.J. Finney and Will Geary as the only former walk-ons to earn All-Big 12 honors three times in a career.
All of the aforementioned former walk-ons were from the state of Kansas.
"For me, I just want to be an inspiration for young kids in Kansas," Moore said. "I want to show that you can stay in Kansas and play at K-State and have success."
The season is fast approaching, and Moore is on a quest to give his all to the Wildcats.
And what is the goal? What might that be?
"The No. 1 goal is a Big 12 Championship and making the College Football Playoff," he said. "That would be huge and propel the program for years to come."
Meanwhile, Moore, while a fierce leader and force for the Wildcats and their defensive unit, aspires for big things like inspiring others to chase their dreams. He explained it all standing in his suit and tie, looking like a CEO, and he looked around the inside of the large stadium, seemingly a small world away from home.
In the land of Blackjack and slot machines, Moore discussed how he bet on himself and is the victor.
The young man, who arrived with no stars, is a bonafide leader for the team he loves, and seemingly on top of the world, as a smile fills his face.
He believed, deep in his heart, that this day was possible.
There stood Austin Moore in his suit, looking like a CEO on his way to a meeting. He stood near the 50-yard line at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Big 12 Football Media Day. He politely spoke to one sportswriter. And then another. And then one of the sportswriters asked the sixth-year senior linebacker, the team captain, the two-time All-Big 12 selection, the man who arrived at Kansas State as a walk-on with zero recruiting stars, and the man who is now entering the twilight of a remarkable career, a simple question: Has any of this sunk in yet?
Moore looked almost puzzled. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder has led K-State in tackles each of the past two seasons, and he is a 28-game starter, and he has spent more time in a film room than Martin Scorsese. He has had plenty of time to soak in his achievements. Darn straight.
"I knew it was possible for me," he said. "It's not like it has completely surprised me or anything."
This is a story about putting in work. And today, at this moment, nobody puts in work like Austin Moore puts in work. He's either in the weight room getting up squats, or he's encouraging a younger player, or he's listening to Coach Trumain Carroll speak about leadership, or he's meeting with his position group, or he's helping lead the defense in drills. He does so much, you see, so much to help K-State succeed, because there's simply no other way.
It's one of the main reasons that Moore, who has a certificate in sales and a minor in business, returned to K-State for a sixth season.
"I want to give everything I possibly have to give to K-State," he said. "Last year, I had more to give, so I'm just happy I have another chance to give more to the program."
Last season, he tied for a team-high 63 tackles to go along with a team-leading 12.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery en route to All-Big 12 Second Team honors, and he earned votes for the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award. In 2022, he posted a team-high 87 tackles and ranked second with 10.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades from the league's coaches.
He has 172 tackles, including 25.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one interception, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his 47-game career.
He needs 78 tackles to become the 27th player in school history to reach 250 career stops.
All this from the proud native of Louisburg, Kansas, who earned 2018 first-team all-state honors as a running back. He earned three all-league honors as a linebacker and two as a running back. He finished his career as a linebacker with 226 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss with five forced fumbles, and rushed for 3,021 yards at Louisburg High School, while earning no recruiting stars. None.
"The most important thing is to believe in yourself," he said. "There are plenty of people who aren't going to believe in you. If you don't believe in yourself, no one is going to make it happen for you. Set realistic goals. Know if you work hard and take care of business you can make it happen."
Moore made it happen.
Blake Seiler, K-State's linebackers coach in 2018, liked the way Moore moved at Louisburg High School. He liked the way Moore played. He offered Moore a chance to walk-on with the Wildcats. Moore had long been a fan of K-State's walk-on tradition. When Chris Klieman was hired as head coach prior to the 2019 season, Moore remained on the roster. He redshirted the 2019 season, played in seven games in 2020, earned a scholarship, and played in all 13 games while making his first-career start against Kansas in 2021.
Klieman at the time called Moore "a quiet kid," but added that Moore "was one of the best communicators on the field."
For Moore, his emergence was a step-by-step process.
"I had some role models like Dalton Schoen, who was a walk-on my freshman year," Moore said. "He was someone I always looked up to. Seeing him as a captain, that was one of my goals. I just tried to take it year by year and create goals for myself. First, make it as a special teams player, then as a backup, and then as a starter. I just tried to cut it up year by year."
It was during the 2019 season that Moore earned his nickname "The Machine" — a nickname bestowed upon him by then-defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton due to Moore's stoic, studious nature.
"I'm kind of a shy guy, but even more so back then," Moore said. "I was locked in almost like a robot. On the football field, I was working hard. It was really consistent day in and day out, kind of like a robot."
What can Klieman say about Moore today?
"What more can you say about 'The Machine?'" Klieman said at Big 12 Football Media Day. "Our program is so fortunate to have Austin come back for a sixth year. That's one thing that was really important to Coach Steve Stanard (linebackers coach) and I to try and get him to come back for another year.
"He's one of the best leaders I've been around. We've been around some really good leaders in Eli Huggins, Kade Warner and Daniel Green. Austin Moore might trump them all in his ability to lead the whole football team."
Defensive end Brendan Mott further placed Moore's importance into perspective.
"He's the leader of our defense and of our team," Mott said. "Austin Moore is the epitome of what K-State is all about and what a walk-on is all about. He's a hard-working kid and he's nicknamed 'The Machine' for a reason."
Moore enters his sixth season on the cusp of reaching rare air in the annals of K-State walk-on tradition. He has a chance to join Ian Campbell, B.J. Finney and Will Geary as the only former walk-ons to earn All-Big 12 honors three times in a career.
All of the aforementioned former walk-ons were from the state of Kansas.
"For me, I just want to be an inspiration for young kids in Kansas," Moore said. "I want to show that you can stay in Kansas and play at K-State and have success."
The season is fast approaching, and Moore is on a quest to give his all to the Wildcats.
And what is the goal? What might that be?
"The No. 1 goal is a Big 12 Championship and making the College Football Playoff," he said. "That would be huge and propel the program for years to come."
Meanwhile, Moore, while a fierce leader and force for the Wildcats and their defensive unit, aspires for big things like inspiring others to chase their dreams. He explained it all standing in his suit and tie, looking like a CEO, and he looked around the inside of the large stadium, seemingly a small world away from home.
In the land of Blackjack and slot machines, Moore discussed how he bet on himself and is the victor.
The young man, who arrived with no stars, is a bonafide leader for the team he loves, and seemingly on top of the world, as a smile fills his face.
He believed, deep in his heart, that this day was possible.
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