There was absolutely nothing normal or tentative about Matt Moore's arrival onto the TCU football scene in 1994. In fact, Matt William Moore, an 18-year-old football upstart intent on participating without a college scholarship, needed but a few days to firmly etch his player's profile upon the Horned Frog grid program.
Though the youthful aspirant from Houston weighted just 178 pounds, TCU's offensive staff quickly became impressed with this fullbacking hopeful's burning desire to compete as well as his toughness, not to mention his obvious athletic talents.
During the next few weeks Moore's football stock rose - almost by the hour.
Only 22 days after his arrival upon campus, on September 14, 1994, in the Horned Frogs' season opener versus nationally ranked North Carolina, Moore entered the contest in the first quarter -barely ten minutes into the season. On his first collegiate play, a play-action pass off a tailback delay, Moore sped to a seam in the middle of the Carolina defense and over his left shoulder hauled in the pass at UNC's eight-yard line, accelerating into the endzone for a touchdown - a 15-yarder. That was the debut into big-time college football for Moore.
"When I think of Matt Moore as a football player, the first thing that comes to mind is that in Matt's mind failure simply was never an option - from the first play until the last," says Pete Hoener, Horned Frog offensive coordinator.
"It was kinda like Matt thought only in terms of success. He was like a proverbial warrior, determined to battle to the very end if that was what it took to win out. Almost as though Matt was looking his doubters in the eye, he won out. He gained a scholarship. He earned a spot on our football team, then he became one of our regular contributors."
The crewcut Moore logged action in all but two of TCU's games in 1994, a season in which the Frogs garnered a share of the Southwest Conference title and Moore also participated in a post-season bowl. In addition to serving as one of the ringleaders on TCU special teams, he also averaged a commendable 6.5 yards every time he had handled the pigskin during that rookie campaign. He had become a winner of the first order epitomizing the competitive nature which has been adopted by Horned Frog teams throughout the 1990s.
Moore's football roles were expanded markedly for his sophomore season. He responded to team calls at both fullback and tailback, including starts versus Tulane, Baylor and SMU at the latter spot. Plus, he operated as one of TCU's most dangerous kickoff return specialists.
En route to being the Frogs' third-leading rusher, catching 10 passes and averaging nearly 25 yards per kick return, Texas Christian's exciting No. 33 had enjoyed a career-high, 98-yard rushing performance in the team's 16-11 victory over Tulane.
Moore never saw action in TCU's eleventh contest, however. On Friday, November 24, less than 24 hours before the Horned Frogs' final Southwest Conference game - a date with Texas A&M - Matt Moore, the warrior saw his season-finale dreams shattered.
During the early portion of his squad's Friday workout Moore was playfully battling a teammate for a thrown pass when he was involved in a freak spill and landed full force on his upper torso. He dislocated his C3 and C4 vertebrae and is paralyzed from his shoulders down.
The tragedy that struck Moore "was probably the hardest thing I've had to deal with in athletics," says TCU head coach Pat Sullivan. "I know that the accident was all that consumed me for eight or 10 days." Sullivan logged numerous visits to his young athlete's bedside during those early days.
Today, Matt Moore is being forced to redirect his goals and to restructure his life - a challenge far greater than ouracing brutish linebackers. He is continuing to push himself both mentally and physically. And he is doing so with immense courage.
Fully aware that nothing of value comes free, and that few things come easily, day after day Moore's powerful will to persevere has helped him endure even greater thresholds.
Those closely associated with Matt Moore know he will fulfill all of his self-prescribed goals marking his road to recovery. They know he is a "believer" and a "doer." Meanwhile, Matt should be assured that his overwhelming, warrior-like desire will indeed be carried forth in the spirits and the souls of the Horned Frogs '96 - from the first play until the last.