This is a continuing series running down Cal's football roster for the 2020 season.
Cal Career
Now on scholarship and starting a master's program in public health at Cal, Collin Moore has had a Cal career based on perseverance. The former high school quarterback was someone who Justin Wilcox nearly got to quit.
"Two years ago," Wilcox said last August, "I basically tried to get him to quit, not because I didn't like him, but because he had significant surgeries, knee injuries, he was a quarterback. I brought him in and said,"
"Collin, I love you man, you're not going to play quarterback here. You've had two knee injuries, be around the team, we'll find a role for you,' he's just like,
'No way, can I play tight end?'
'Are you sure?'
'Let me play tight end, let me try it.'
"So he's that determined."
And so it has gone, Moore spent spring ball of 2017 at quarterback after greyshirting as a walk-on, then got the call to come to fall camp that year after tight end Ray Hudson went down with an injury.
Moore saw the field briefly in 2018, but didn't really play until 2019, where he saw time mainly as a blocking tight end and on special teams after a strong fall camp. Moore caught his first career pass against Utah and his first career touchdown in the Redbox Bowl against Illinois. He made his first career start against Washington State, finishing 2016 with 2 receptions for 11 yards and a touchdown
Per Pro Football Focus, Moore played 174 reps on offense in 2019, with 126 of those coming as a run blocker in 2019, or around 72.4% of the time.
Expectations for 2020
Moore originally entered the transfer portal, but took his name out and will remain with Cal as he completes his graduate degree in Berkeley.
With Bill Musgrave's plans to use more tight ends in his offense going forward, Moore should see more use as a blocking tight end and possibly more in the passing game if he can continue to grow as a pass-catcher. Wilcox has called Moore their most effective C-gap blocker at the position, and he should see reps at the in-line tight end spot moving forward.
Recruiting Flashback
Moore was unranked coming out of high school at San Marin, where he followed former Arizona State QB Manny Wilkins as the starter. Moore did not have any offers coming out of high school, choosing to walk-on and greyshirt in order to come to Cal in January of 2017. He did it even with a new coaching staff coming in, as Justin Wilcox took over for Sonny Dykes that month.
