Moore Living Up To "Hybrid" Moniker

After aiding in Northern Iowa's 34-29 upset win over No. 6 South Dakota last week, it's clear that Briley Moore will be the next offensive star for the Panthers after turning in another tremendous performance.

The 6'3" tight end caught five passes for 100 yards against the Coyotes on Nov. 4, marking his first 100-yard performance in the Purple & Gold. Moore is second on the team in receptions this season, with 26 grabs at the "hybrid" position. Moore has racked up 296 yards as well for UNI.

Moore came just shy of the 100-yard mark against Cal Poly in the home opener, after notching seven catches for 99 yards in a 45-38 overtime win against the Mustangs. The seven receptions are the most by any Panther tight end since Brian Cutright nabbed nine catches in 2005 against Eastern Washington in the first round of the NCAA Playoff game.

Moore has developed into a strong target for the Panther offense this season, and has put in a great amount of work and dedication to get to this point in his career.

Despite being a successful wide receiver in high school, earning all-state, all-district, and all-conference honors as a senior, Moore was mainly recruited by colleges as a tight end.

"I only had a couple of schools talk about playing wide receiver," Moore said. "The rest were talking about playing tight end – including UNI."

Moore decided to take on the challenge of playing tight end, and committed to the Panthers.

When making the decision to play for UNI, Moore took several things into account.

"I wanted a good environment in regards to my family and personal life," Moore said. "The Panthers have a good community and great coaches, which is something I didn't really see at any other schools I visited. The way the coaches and players interact is something special."

The coach whom Moore credits much of his success to is Panthers tight end coach Nick Danielson. The two have spent countless hours working together.

"All the credit goes to him. I came into this program under 220 pounds, not really fit to play the position," Moore said. "He instilled the mentality in me to play tight end. Looking where I came from to where I am now, it's a huge improvement. He has spent time on me that not a lot of other people would have, which means a lot."

All the hard work Moore has put in has paid off so far, as he's developed into a nightmare for opposing defenses to cover. The sophomore has caught at least five passes in three games this season, while turning in a pair of four-reception games.

"I really started to embrace my role because of the way UNI is using the tight end position this year," Moore said. "We like to think of ourselves as hybrids, because we are linemen but also receivers."

The "hybrid" tight end role has fit Moore quite well, as he has been able to use his wide receiver experience from high school while remaining an effective lineman.

"We're not only a blocking power, but also a threat when running routes down the field," Moore said. "It's a good combination, and we really get to do it all."

While becoming an impactful force on the football field, Moore also has high hopes and aspirations off the field. In the future, he hopes to return close to home near Kansas City, Missouri. Moore is majoring in exercise science, and wants to make a career within medical sales or personal training.

Until then, Moore will continue to strive towards being the best student athlete he can be. He is driven to succeed by his mom, sister, and bringing pride to Panther fans.

"To the Panther community and all the fans, thank you," Moore said. "Fans bring the Dome to life, and there's no other atmosphere like that."

Moore has already developed into a great player in the short time he has been a Panther, and will continue the long list of great offensive players at UNI.

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Moore Living Up To "Hybrid" Moniker

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