Kirby Moore explains why he chose to sign extension with Missouri

On Dec. 21, Missouri announced it had given offensive coordinator Kirby Moore a contract extension. Before facing off against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Moore pulled back the curtain on his decision to sign the contract and stay in Missouri.

“I feel very positive about where we’re at and where we’re going,” Moore said. “There are a lot of moving parts in college football right now and we have a lot of continuity moving forward to next season. I’m excited about that. We have a tremendous group of players and staff. It’s our offense, not my offense. Just working with those guys on a daily basis has been really enjoyable this year.”

Moore isn’t the only one who’s enjoyed this season. Missouri finished the regular season with 10 wins for the first time this year since 2014. Missouri’s success is largely due to Moore’s offense. The Tigers averaged 442.9 yards per game this season, the 24th-most in the country.

Moore joined Missouri’s staff in January 2023 after spending six seasons at Fresno State. His new contract extension details have not yet been released by the program, but his initial contract was for three years, earning him a salary of $850,000 in 2023, $875,000 in 2024 and $900,000 in 2025.

Eli Drinkwitz knew it from the beginning

Before the season began, head coach Eli Drinkwitz knew how vital Moore would be to the program’s operations.

“Obviously, there’s a little bit less involvement in the day-to-day offense and planning and scripting and doing some of those things that free me up to be more involved in special teams, maybe even more involved in analyzing some things on the defensive side of the ball, preparing for team meetings in a different way and delivering different messages,” Drinkwitz told the media. 

“I’ve kind of embraced that. Really have enjoyed being in special teams and trying to emphasize — Coach Baker and I are leading the Sharks team, which is our kickoff team, and that’s been a lot of fun to take ownership of that and make sure that we’re covering kicks the right way.”

After Missouri defeated Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl 14-3 to secure an 11-win season, it’s clear Drinkwitz made the right decision. In the win, the Tigers tallied 331 total yards of offense compared to OSU’s mere 203. Missouri was particularly effective in the ground game, amassing 203 rushing yards.