2019 SMU Player Spotlight: Richard Moore

By Samuel De Leon

Share or Save for Later

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Save to Favorites

James Proche remembers the last time he played against linebacker Richard Moore. There weren’t many happy memories. In fact, Proche flat out refused to relive the game when asked about it nearly five years later.

“I could, but I don’t want to,” Proche said with a laugh.

We’ll fill in the gaps for you. Moore, then a stand- out defender for Cedar Hill, helped make some critical stops as his Longhorns upset Proche’s rival DeSoto squad 65-42. Let’s just say Proche is thrilled that Moore is on his side now.

“Richard Moore is the best linebacker I’ve ever played against,” Proche said.

Moore started his career at Texas A&M but transferred closer to home after two years. He sat out during Chad Morris’ final season. But even in practice, Moore proved why he was a sought-after linebacker.

In 2018, Kevin Kane took over the defense. His first charge was turning Moore from a gifted linebacker into a smart football player. Moore is talented enough that he had won with his natural ability for the majority of his career. Kane let Moore know that he didn’t have to make every single play.

“Defense is a puzzle; you have to learn what piece you are in the puzzle,” Kane said. “If you don’t fit into your spot, bad things are going to happen. Once he saw the big picture and realized he was trying to do too much, he had a great example of what he can’t do.”

The results became obvious as the season went on. Moore led the Mustangs with 92 tackles and five sacks. He added 13.5 tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries. More importantly, he only got better as the season went on. In the final four games, Moore posted 46 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

“When you sit out that year, it makes people that much hungrier to get out on the field,” Kane said. “With his ability, he should be able to dominate our conference, and he showed flashes of that year one with his performance.”

With a year of starting experience under his belt, Moore is poised to take on a leadership role on SMU’s defense. His teammate — and biggest fan — knows he’s ready for the challenge.

“The fact that he only got honorable mention All-AAC is highway robbery,” Proche said. “He’s the best defensive player in the conference.”

This article is available to our Digital Subscribers.
Click "Subscribe Now" to see a list of subscription offers.
Already a Subscriber? Sign In to access this content.

Sign In