Iowa State quarterback commit Devon Moore has solidified himself as one of Iowa’s top signal callers during his senior season.
Moore’s Waterloo West squad has started the season 4-0 and jumped into the most recent Des Moines Register class 4A top 10. The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound, three-star prospect has played a huge role in West’s success while leading the fifth-most productive passing offense in the state’s biggest class.
“Everybody’s just doing their job,” Moore told Cyclone Fanatic in a phone interview on Tuesday. “Running backs are running the ball really hard. Getting the linebackers and safeties to step up. Receivers are making the deep catches downfield getting the corners to play off. Always second guessing what we’re doing. The line is blocking really good, tremendous. I don’t know any sacks that have been given up that are [vicious] hits or anything. One of the better lines, I feel, in our district.”
Moore, who was Matt Campbell‘s first commitment at Iowa State, has thrown for 876 yards while completing 59.3 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
The No. 10 Wahawks have been impressive in their first four games while compiling wins over Dubuque Senior, Dubuque Hempstead, Western Dubuque and Marshalltown.
Despite his early success, Moore knows there are still areas of his game that need work before he reaches the next level. He would like to become a more accurate thrower and continue to improve his footwork.
Above all, consistency is key.
“That’s the name of the game,” Moore said. “You can’t really play quarterback if you’re not consistent.”
The games are only going to get more difficult for West as the schedule progresses, including a tilt with No. 4 Cedar Rapids Washington (and fellow Iowa State commit linebacker O’Rien Vance) in the final week of the regular season.
“It’ll be a crazy game knowing he’s a future teammate and the connection we’ve built already,” Moore said. “It will be great to play against another great player that’s also going to the same college as you and is such a good friend that you’ve known for so long.”
Even though the two have built a bond, Moore has no expectation that Vance, one of the state’s best pass rushers, will hold back.
“Next year, it will be a different story,” Moore said. “But this year there will be no holding back. If he gets me, he gets me.”
Naturally, Moore has been keeping a close eye on Iowa State’s first three games, including making it to Ames for an unofficial visit during the season opening loss to Northern Iowa. This week is West’s homecoming so it remains up in the air if he will be in attendance for Saturday’s game against San Jose State.
He’ll be paying close attention even if he can’t make it to Jack Trice Stadium.
“They’re playing hard,” Moore said about this year’s team. “Some of it is little stuff. Nothing that is dramatic that is ruining our season or anything. I just feel like it’s little things that we’ve got to get crinkled out.”
