Indiana University Athletics
Opportunity Finds a Grateful Louis Moore
10/7/2022 11:00:00 AM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Louis Moore gives thanks, then does it again and again. Appreciation runs deep when you've been under the radar for so long.
Barely four months a Hoosier, and the junior is emerging as a key Indiana defensive contributor. At this rate, who knows where he'll be by the end of the season.
Tom Allen has an idea. It's why the Hoosiers' head coach recruited Moore out of a Texas junior college, why Moore will likely get ever-increasing roles, starting Saturday with No. 4 Michigan coming to Memorial Stadium.
"He's a super positive guy," Allen says. "Every day he's the same. He loves playing football. You can tell. Some guys are just that way. They enjoy life. Enjoy competing. Enjoy practice. He's one of those. He laughs a lot."
Allen talks about the multiple texts Moore has sent him. They thank Allen for believing in him and making him a Hoosier.
"This is his dream, to play at this level," Allen says. "He went to junior college to have this kind of opportunity."
Opportunity finds Moore, who didn't arrive in Bloomington until June, playing safety and husky, with cornerback also an option.
"We're trying to find a niche for him within our system to maximize our roster," Allen says. "We like to get those versatile guys who can play multiple positions."
Moore has played in all five games and totaled three tackles and one forced fumble. Last Saturday at Nebraska, he combined with linebacker Cam Jones for a sack and fumble that outside linebacker Myles Jackson recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.
"He's probably come along a little quicker than we thought," Allen says.
Moore arrived with a mostly receiver background, but Hoosier coaches saw his defensive potential.
"We knew he had a high ceiling," Allen says. "We took him as a potential nickel guy because he can play corner or safety."
It took a while for Moore to adjust to IU scheme and Big Ten intensity, but the potential was obvious.
"I love his athleticism, his ball skills," Allen says. "The thing that was probably the biggest surprise early was how physical he was in tackling because we knew he didn't have extensive background at playing defense."
Moore generated little recruiting attention coming out of Poteete High School near Dallas. He got more as a two-way Texas junior college player, but remained a low-recruiting target for most Power-5 conference teams. Mostly a receiver, Moore caught 48 passes for 713 yards and five touchdowns in two junior college seasons. As a safety last season, he had 18 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and broke up a pass.
Allen got word about Moore from the Poteete coach, a long-time acquaintance.
"I recruited there for many years," Allen says. "The school produced a lot of tough, hard-nosed kids. I knew we were going to get a good player."
Beyond that, Allen adds, "I feel he was overlooked in high school. He was on a very talented team. It had a lot of guys who got higher recruited than he did, but it shows his attitude. He's really thankful and appreciative for what he's been given, and he's making the most of it, which is awesome.
"He has a spirit about him that you want on your team; that you want in your locker room. You want guys who realize they're blessed."
The Hoosiers (3-2) will need that attitude and more to snap a two game-losing streak. Allen says the key is preparation.
"It puts a high premium on how you practice, the attention to detail during those practices and allowing yourself to have confidence."
Facing Michigan (5-0), even with Homecoming Game enthusiasm, adds to the challenge. The Wolverines have won 25 of the last 26 meetings with the Hoosiers, and is 19-2 at Memorial Stadium.
However, IU won the last time the Wolverines were in Bloomington, 38-21, in 2020.
"It's not getting any easier for us with who we are going to play and who we have to execute against," Allen says. "As these teams continue to increase in their talent level and the way that they are playing, we have to elevate ours, as well."
A big challenge is limiting a powerful Wolverine rushing attack (Blake Corum leads the nation with 10 rushing touchdowns and ranks fourth with 611 rushing yards) and at the same time slowing down the nation's most accurate passer (J.J. McCarthy is at 78 percent).
"They run the ball extremely well," Allen says. "It is the strength of their offense. They throw the ball effectively, but they want to establish the run.
"It is about run fits; it's about tackling; it's about pursuit; it's about being able to get the proper numbers in the box that you need to match up to the formations they are going to give you."
Ultimately, it's about a swarming defense, forcing takeaways, tackling well, and maximum effort.
"That is the challenge," Allen says. "That is where we put ourselves. We have to respond."
Barely four months a Hoosier, and the junior is emerging as a key Indiana defensive contributor. At this rate, who knows where he'll be by the end of the season.
Tom Allen has an idea. It's why the Hoosiers' head coach recruited Moore out of a Texas junior college, why Moore will likely get ever-increasing roles, starting Saturday with No. 4 Michigan coming to Memorial Stadium.
"He's a super positive guy," Allen says. "Every day he's the same. He loves playing football. You can tell. Some guys are just that way. They enjoy life. Enjoy competing. Enjoy practice. He's one of those. He laughs a lot."
Allen talks about the multiple texts Moore has sent him. They thank Allen for believing in him and making him a Hoosier.
"This is his dream, to play at this level," Allen says. "He went to junior college to have this kind of opportunity."
Opportunity finds Moore, who didn't arrive in Bloomington until June, playing safety and husky, with cornerback also an option.
"We're trying to find a niche for him within our system to maximize our roster," Allen says. "We like to get those versatile guys who can play multiple positions."
Moore has played in all five games and totaled three tackles and one forced fumble. Last Saturday at Nebraska, he combined with linebacker Cam Jones for a sack and fumble that outside linebacker Myles Jackson recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.
"He's probably come along a little quicker than we thought," Allen says.
Moore arrived with a mostly receiver background, but Hoosier coaches saw his defensive potential.
"We knew he had a high ceiling," Allen says. "We took him as a potential nickel guy because he can play corner or safety."
It took a while for Moore to adjust to IU scheme and Big Ten intensity, but the potential was obvious.
"I love his athleticism, his ball skills," Allen says. "The thing that was probably the biggest surprise early was how physical he was in tackling because we knew he didn't have extensive background at playing defense."
Moore generated little recruiting attention coming out of Poteete High School near Dallas. He got more as a two-way Texas junior college player, but remained a low-recruiting target for most Power-5 conference teams. Mostly a receiver, Moore caught 48 passes for 713 yards and five touchdowns in two junior college seasons. As a safety last season, he had 18 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and broke up a pass.
Allen got word about Moore from the Poteete coach, a long-time acquaintance.
"I recruited there for many years," Allen says. "The school produced a lot of tough, hard-nosed kids. I knew we were going to get a good player."
Beyond that, Allen adds, "I feel he was overlooked in high school. He was on a very talented team. It had a lot of guys who got higher recruited than he did, but it shows his attitude. He's really thankful and appreciative for what he's been given, and he's making the most of it, which is awesome.
"He has a spirit about him that you want on your team; that you want in your locker room. You want guys who realize they're blessed."
The Hoosiers (3-2) will need that attitude and more to snap a two game-losing streak. Allen says the key is preparation.
"It puts a high premium on how you practice, the attention to detail during those practices and allowing yourself to have confidence."
Facing Michigan (5-0), even with Homecoming Game enthusiasm, adds to the challenge. The Wolverines have won 25 of the last 26 meetings with the Hoosiers, and is 19-2 at Memorial Stadium.
However, IU won the last time the Wolverines were in Bloomington, 38-21, in 2020.
"It's not getting any easier for us with who we are going to play and who we have to execute against," Allen says. "As these teams continue to increase in their talent level and the way that they are playing, we have to elevate ours, as well."
A big challenge is limiting a powerful Wolverine rushing attack (Blake Corum leads the nation with 10 rushing touchdowns and ranks fourth with 611 rushing yards) and at the same time slowing down the nation's most accurate passer (J.J. McCarthy is at 78 percent).
"They run the ball extremely well," Allen says. "It is the strength of their offense. They throw the ball effectively, but they want to establish the run.
"It is about run fits; it's about tackling; it's about pursuit; it's about being able to get the proper numbers in the box that you need to match up to the formations they are going to give you."
Ultimately, it's about a swarming defense, forcing takeaways, tackling well, and maximum effort.
"That is the challenge," Allen says. "That is where we put ourselves. We have to respond."
Players Mentioned
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