ITG-SG / September 2016
Take any toddler to a sporting goods store and the first word echoing down the aisle is “Ball!” As some children grow up, parents sign them up for different sports simply for recreation. Many end up quitting sports altogether; some take a liking to just one sport; and then you have two-sport athlete Kenny Moore.
As a basketball player at Lowndes High School, Moore’s exceptional speed, quickness, and anticipation allowed him to flourish. Moore compares his style on the hardwood to that of former Miami Heat superstar and now Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade. Wade, a three-time NBA champion and 12-time All-Star with the Heat, became known as “Flash” due to his otherworldly speed in the open floor and innate ability to dart into passing lanes for steals. In seven games as a senior with the Lowndes Boys Varsity team, Moore channeled his inner “Flash,” averaging 2.3 steals per game with the Vikings.
Growing up, Wade played football and later settled into basketball. Moore pulled off a nifty reverse, tossing his sneakers aside in favor of football cleats. Moore tried out for the Vikings’ football team as a corner back in hopes of playing for head coach Randy McPherson. Given his athleticism and speed, the tryout earned Moore a roster spot for the former state champions.
Much like his hoops idol, Moore immediately became a game-changer. He made 18 tackles and hauled in two interceptions in his lone season under McPherson. The Vikings went 9-2 and made the GHSA Class AAAAA playoffs. Moore’s story could have ended right there, in high school, as many athletic careers often do.
Rather than quitting while he was ahead, the diminutive guard turned corner back earned a scholarship from Valdosta State University to play for the three-time national champion Blazers. On its surface, the switch from the hardwood to the gridiron seems as dissimilar as apples and oranges. According to Moore, the differences are not as opposite as they appear.
“The support is different,” Moore said. “(Valdosta) doesn’t have that much support within basketball. Obviously, the atmosphere of football is different. Playing basketball is not really different than football because you still have to stay squared up to the offensive player on defense. From that standpoint, basketball really correlates well to football.”
As a freshman, Moore played in all 10 games for the Blazers, recording 18 tackles and two interceptions as the Blazers finished with a 6-4 record. Commonly in Year Two, teams adjust and players go through the dreaded “sophomore slump.” Moore’s sophomore year saw him increase his tackle tally to 37, 26 of which were unassisted. The 5-foot-9, 179-pound corner picked off passes in back-to-back playoff games against Lenoir-Rhyne and West Georgia. Though the Blazers lost 31-17 to West Georgia, Moore’s efforts were vital to the Blazers’10-3 record.
With the taste of college football growing more savory on his palate, Moore took to preparing himself much like a seasoned NFL veteran does in the off-season.
“Since high school, I didn’t have much experience coming in as a defensive back,” Moore admits. “Every year, going into camp or on my down time in the off-season, I’d go over the plays and started being a student of the game.”
Moore’s steady progression, desire to improve, and appetite for playbook mastery has transformed him from local high school product to a valued cog in the Blazers’ vaunted “Black Swarm” defense.
When asked which NFL team he roots for, Moore concedes he watches more for players than teams.
“I don’t really have a favorite team — I used to love Miami (Dolphins),” Moore said with a chuckle. “I’d say my favorite corner would be Darelle Revis. He’s a technician of the game. He knows how to get out of his breaks, and he’s a smart player as well. I like Richard Sherman as well. He’s one of the smartest guys in the game, and he’s more versatile than anybody else.”
The truth is, everyone everywhere starts somewhere. Revis and Sherman, arguably two future first-ballot Hall of Famers, were once brand new to the game. Through their attention to detail and physical tools, they specialize in harassing even the most gifted wide-outs in the league into submission.
Last season, Moore solidified his status as one of the top defenders in the Gulf South Conference. Moore finished fourth on the team with 51 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. As a result, Moore was one of five unanimous selections for All-GSC and All-Super Region II honors.
While his on-field success burns bright, Moore and his family received devastating news. On Feb. 7, 2016, Moore’s father, Kenneth Sr., passed away at the age of 56. Though Kenneth II and his father were not close, his fondest memories find his father cheering him on from the bleachers.
“Me and my father weren’t close growing up,” Moore said. “But, to show his love, he came to all of my games to support me. That’s how he showed his love. Now that he isn’t here….” Moore paused briefly to find his words. “I just think about him every play. I try to keep that on my mind as motivation to make him proud of me.”
During his father’s final days, Moore recalled a contingent of his teammates and coaches coming to South Georgia Medical Center to comfort him at his father’s bedside.
“Before he passed away, a few of the defensive backs and a lot of coaches at the time would stay at the hospital with me,” Moore said. “Through the whole process, my teammates were really there for me. Whenever my family couldn’t be there — when they were out of town or my grandparents weren’t here — my teammates were calling me to see where I was so they could come by and take my mind off of it.”
Moore’s relationship with his teammates is a special bond. He relishes hanging out with his teammates, exchanging friendly trash talk over late-night games of FIFA and NBA 2K. The fellowship and camaraderie is just one way Moore stays level-headed despite his status as a perpetual headache for offensive coordinators in the GSC.
For many athletes, spiritual faith keeps them grounded in times of loss and uncertainty. Moore is unashamed to profess his faith and cites scripture as his anchor on game days.
“I think Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite scripture on game days,” Moore said. “It talks about the plans that God has set for you. They are for you; as long as you work for them and you believe in that, you can do anything that’s possible. As long as you believe in Him and take care of yourself, you can be whatever you want to be.”
On Aug. 3, Moore was named Preseason All-GSC. Despite Moore’s accolade, the Blazers were picked to finish fifth in the Gulf South Conference by league coaches.
“It’s an honor to get an award like that,” Moore said of his selection. “Besides that individual award, I’m really just worried about my team. The coaches ranking us so low in the conference, that just motivates us to play harder. We don’t really get too caught up into what people see us as, we’re just trying to do what Coach says so we can win some ball games.”
Now a senior, Moore enters the 2016 season with 106 career tackles and hopes to add many more under new Blazers head coach Kerwin Bell. Bell replaced head coach David Dean following last season. With Bell commanding the sidelines, Moore believes the Blazers have a renewed energy and sense of urgency heading into the upcoming season.
“I really think the energy coach Bell brings is a huge difference,” Moore said. “He has a connection with what he does, and he tries to get to know all of us at the same time. The big difference this year, I think, is the competitive style he brings. Coach Bell brought in a lot of guys that are going to compete for every spot. Everybody’s job is on the line, so I feel pretty confident about that.”
With a new coaching staff placing competitiveness at a premium, Moore is also confident his Blazers can make another run at a national championship — a goal that has eluded them since 2012, the year prior to Moore’s arrival.
“To be honest, I think we have a chance (to contend),” Moore said. “Coach has brought in a lot of guys that can get the job done. Whenever I’m giving my all out there on the field, I feel like someone else will come in and give the same energy and at every position, too.”
“I think we’ll really make a playoff run this year as long as we stay healthy, motivated, and focused on doing what we’re supposed to do,” Moore said.
Like former Blazers Cedric O’Neal (Philadelphia Eagles), Seantavius Jones (Kansas City Chiefs), and offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila (drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2013), Moore hopes his success with the Blazers eventually leads to a place for him in the NFL.
“I’m working every day for that time,” Moore said. “Where I’m at right now in college at a D-II school, it’s certainly harder, but I think anything is possible if you believe in it. You just have to work for it.”
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