Derrick Moore continues to change lives
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (BVM) 鈥� Life is too short not to enjoy it. And that鈥檚 what current South Carolina Executive Director of Player and character development, Derrick Moore, continues to do even though his playing days are far from over.聽聽
Born and raised in Albany, Georgia., Moore found out quickly he could have a successful career on the gridiron. But with Proposition 48 in effect, Moore couldn鈥檛 move on and play for big-name schools. So, he decided to stay in Albany and attend Albany State College and focus solely on academics.
After two years and now with an associate degree in hand, Moore decided to join Division II Troy State, now Troy University, in Alabama. He rushed for 1,043 yards in his lone season. Moore would move on from Troy following this season, and that鈥檚 when he ended up at Northeastern State University (NSU).
With one year of eligibility remaining, Moore would have a season to remember. He would help the Riverhawks to a 10-1 overall record, rush for 1,502 yards and score 16 touchdowns. It was the second-best single-season rushing record ever seen at NSU.
Following his lone season at NSU, Moore entered the 1992 NFL Draft. The Atlanta Falcons would select Moore in the eighth round. Although he wouldn鈥檛 play for the Falcons, Moore would go on to have three impressive seasons in the NFL.聽
In 1993, Moore rushed for with the Detroit Lions. Following the 1994 season, Moore joined the expansion Carolina Panthers. In 13 games with the Panthers, Moore rushed for 740 yards, an expansion team record at the time, and scored four TDs. He then followed up with two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals but wouldn鈥檛 play.
Moore would hang up his professional cleats and pick up the coaching whistle in 1998 for Morehouse College in Atlanta. There he helped coach running backs and was the special teams coordinator until 2001.聽
After Morehouse, Moore accepted a job with Georgia Tech University. He helped inspire some of the Yellow Jackets鈥� finest athletes, including .
Along with inspiring players, Moore helped the Yellow Jackets reach four ACC title games. Georgia Tech captured the ACC title in 2009. The team also made three Orange Bowl appearances and was ranked in the top-25 for a number of years, making it to No. 7 in the nation in 2014.聽
An essential program Moore was a part of was the Georgia Tech Total Person Program. This program helped provide development opportunities for student-athletes., opportunities Moore didn鈥檛 have when he was a student-athlete. Moore was part of the Georgia Tech football program up until last season.聽
Now, Moore is heading to the University of South Carolina, where he will be the Executive Director of Player and Character Development. It seems to be a similar role that he served at Georgia Tech, but it is an important one nonetheless.
Everywhere Moore has gone, success has followed. Now Moore is set on a new journey, this time with the Gamecocks, and will look to change more athletes’ lives in Columbia.聽
