Moore emerges as young star

Every season, the football team has star players emerge out of nowhere. This year, Ryan Moore has blossomed into one of the country’s best young talents.
Moore, a red-shirt freshman, was one of the top players in the nation and a First Team All-American in high school. He was also considered the best two-sport recruit in Florida, playing both football and basketball.
“Ryan Moore is an outstanding player and a great athlete,” Head Coach Larry Coker said. “He could probably play college basketball, he has great hands and I think you will see him get better and better as his career progresses.”
Moore’s transition to the University of Miami was not easy because the wide receiver was in a new role his first year. He had to play the waiting game by sitting out as a red shirt, something Moore was not used to doing.
“I learned a lot as a red shirt. I took a ton of mental reps and I learned from Andre Johnson, Kevin Beard, and those guys,” Moore said. “It was really hard to sit out because I wasn’t used to doing that. It hurt me a little bit. I didn’t even care what I did, I just wanted to play but I wasn’t able to.”
However, being on the scout team was definitely the right decision in Moore’s mind. He was able to practice with Brock Berlin, and the two have a strong chemistry as a result. Plus, he learned from his teammates and became a better all-around player.
“Being on the scout team for a year made him a better player because he had Brock Berlin throwing the ball to him and he got to sit and watch,” Coker said. “Another year of maturity really helped him.”
Moore’s progress has been fun for ‘Canes fans to watch. He came into the season as a backup who would see some playing time, but his early season performance has earned him a spot with the starting squad.
“Coming into the season, my goal was to earn a spot in the rotation and to just get better,” Moore said. “I’ve done that and now I have an opportunity to start, so I’m just trying to take advantage of that.”
Last season, when Moore was trying to deal with not playing, the person who kept him in a positive frame of mind was his mother. When Moore got frustrated, his mother was the voice of reason.
“My mom inspires me because she helped me go through all the stuff that happened last year and she made me realize that everything happens for a reason,” Moore said. “She always looked at everything in a positive light.”
Along with the support of his mother, Moore has his grandmother, his great grandmother, and his 16-year old sister to cheer him on. When things are not going well, it is the support of his family that really helps him stay focused and determined.
“When things aren’t going very well, I really try to focus so that I don’t get off of my game,” Moore said. “I am very lucky to have a lot of people that care for me. Everybody around me is looking out for what is best for me and that really helps.”
Despite his success, Moore remains modest, trying to get along with everybody. Most importantly, he will do whatever it takes to win games.
“I’m a competitor and I don’t like to lose,” Moore said. “If I do lose, you can expect that I will have an attitude about it and come back everyday and try to win. I just want to win.”