While Alabama's coaches have been hard at work all week preparing for a tough road game this weekend at Missouri, the Tigers may have been a little distracted and preoccupied. At least that's the case for Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore.
Moore reportedly interviewed for the Arkansas head coaching job on Sunday. The Razorbacks made the decision to let Sam Pittman go in the aftermath of their blowout loss to Notre Dame. OC - and former Hogs head coach - Bobby Petrino took over as the interim head coach and is angling for the full-time gig. But Arkansas is conducting a search, which included the third-year Missouri offensive coordinator.
Does that mean Moore is distracted heading into this weekend's game? No, not necessarily. Missouri - by the good graces of Greg Sankey and the league office - effectively had two bye weeks before playing Alabama. Missouri was off altogether last week and played UMass the week before. Someone will have to explain to me how one SEC team can play consecutive conference games while another gets two consecutive weeks without one.
Moore will likely have his offense well prepared for Alabama's defense, though it is noteworthy that he took an in-season interview. You can hardly blame him, however, as getting an SEC head coaching job would be a massive career move for the former Boise State WR.
Kalen DeBoer knows Kirby Moore well
Kirby Moore spent four years working for Kalen DeBoer at Fresno State. DeBoer brought Moore in as his WR coach at Fresno in 2017 when DeBoer was hired as the Offensive Coordinator. Moore stayed with the Bulldogs when DeBoer left to take the Indiana OC job, and Moore was then retained on the Fresno State staff as the WR coach and passing game coordinator when DeBoer took the head coaching job at Fresno in 2020.
When DeBoer and Ryan Grubb left Fresno State for Washington, Moore stayed behind again and was promoted to the offensive coordinator role. After one season in that role, Eli Drinkwitz hired him as Missouri's offensive coordinator and QB coach in 2023.
DeBoer and Moore are familiar with one another. That likely won't have much of an impact on Saturday's game. Neither will Moore's Sunday interview with Arkansas, though his being distracted would certainly give the Tide an edge.