The Cougars last played football on Dec. 22, 2025. Up until last Wednesday, head coach Kirby Moore and the program had been working relentlessly to replace players who left and retain as much of the 2025 roster as they could.
In that 44-day stretch, WSU picked up 26 transfers. Since early December, WSU has compiled a signing class of 31 players. They signed two of the players, Oliver Bender and Lance McGee, last Wednesday, which was National Signing Day.
On National Signing Day, Moore had a press conference and discussed what it has been like trying to assemble the new roster and coaching staff since he was hired on Dec. 12, 2025.
“It’s been a whirlwind the last … 45 days and … really just super appreciative of our staff, first [for] attacking the retention of our players, and then attacking the portal,” Moore said. “There was a two-week period there where we had 45 official visits, and it was about finding the right fits. And I thought our … staff did a great job, and our players being a part of that as well did an unbelievable job of hosting those guys, communicating with those guys.”
Moore then discussed how the recruiting process went.
“We had a two-week period where we got within our recruiting areas. And, for us, we want to make sure we’re … not flying over anyone. And it starts in-state, in the state of Washington … Oregon, Idaho and embracing the Pac-12 footprint,” Moore said. “And I thought we had a good start to that from a recruiting standpoint.”
Moore said that he was able to retain old players and also get so many new players by developing relationships as soon as he got into Pullman. He held a team meeting on the Monday he came to WSU.
From 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. that Tuesday through Thursday, Moore spent time with the players trying to build relationships. He then traveled with the team to their bowl game on Dec. 22.
“I wanted to make sure we had a good nucleus set there after the bowl game,” Moore said.
For retaining players, he said he prioritized keeping the linemen, specifically the offensive line. Moore managed to keep 16 out of 20 offensive linemen from last season, including three out of five of the starting linemen they had in their bowl game.
To keep the offensive linemen, Moore said he told the six of them who played the most just how much of a priority they were to the team.
“We can draw up all the plays we want on offense. If we can’t run the football or protect the quarterback … there’s going to be some issues, so [I] wanted to make sure that was a priority right away,” Moore said.
WSU also managed to keep some key offensive players, such as WR Tony Freeman, RB Kirby Vorhees and RB Maxwell Woods. Originally, both Freeman and Vorhees planned on entering the transfer portal.
One of the most relevant transfers the Cougs acquired was QB Caden Pinnick. Pinnick was the former quarterback at UC Davis for two seasons. In his second season, as a redshirt freshman, Pinnick was named the Big Sky Freshman of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Jerry Rice award, an award given to the “most outstanding” freshman player in NCAA Division I FCS football. Moore was impressed by his dual-threat ability, accuracy and athleticism.
“When Caden went into the portal, you’re evaluating the film, and you see his versatility, obviously being able to throw the ball and make a variety of throws. And then as well as extending plays and every … once in a while being a plus-one guy from a run standpoint,” Moore said.
Moore also discussed how he got new DC Trent Bray and new OC Matt Miller. Bray was the former DC at Oregon State from 2021 to 2022 and the HC from 2023 to 2025. Before becoming DC, Bray was the LB coach from 2018 to 2020.
Moore said that he believes that Oregon State made a “huge jump” as a program when it turned to Bray defensively.
As Fresno State’s former OC, Moore went up against Bray’s defense in 2022. Oregon State won the game 35–32.
“It was a challenge. They were really attacking … [On] third downs, they were giving us a ton of issues,” Moore said about Bray’s defense in that game.
That was something Moore never forgot, and it eventually led to him being hired by Moore.
As for Miller, he played with Moore at Boise State from 2010 to 2013. Both of them were wide receivers. Moore was impressed with his playing experience and the number of offensive coaches and offenses he had been around and a part of while coaching at Boise and Montana State. He coached at Boise in 2015 and then from 2020 to 2025. He coached at Montana from 2016 to 2019.
Moore later discussed how the team will operate this year. The coaches are going to run the team based on the personnel and what the players are comfortable with.
“This whole thing — offense, defense and special teams — it’s going to be super collaborative,” Moore said. “And it’s about the players because they have to be comfortable with what we’re doing.”
Moore said he learned the importance of making the program collaborative after going from Fresno State with QB Jake Haener to Missouri with QB Brady Cook. Originally, Moore tried to implement some of the same pass concepts with Cook that he used at Fresno State with Haener. However, Cook “did not like” some of the pass concepts, resulting in Moore having to change things up to better suit Cook.
The culture is going to be about the players becoming the best they possibly can be, in large part through their competitiveness.
“The culture, I mean, we want to make sure guys understand there’s going to be a ton of competition,” Moore said. “And it’s all about improvement and [for] everyone … the goal is going to be to reach their personal best.”
With the NCAA college football transfer portal being closed and the Cougs likely having signed most of their recruits, Moore and the program have the pieces they need to get to work.
For the Cougs, this will at least partially start with them building their culture. They will build their culture starting in the weight room, in team meetings and then extend beyond the practice facility, Moore said.
Moore said they are going to watch the Spokane Chiefs game on Feb. 14 as a team.
