As a three-time Georgia state champion in the 110-meter hurdles, LSU sophomore hurdler Jordan Moore was ranked No. 3 in the nation in the event. He had scholarship offers to run track at any college of his choice.
But Moore is a two sport athlete, and he wasn’t ready to give up football.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 221-pound Moore was rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 15 safety in the nation by ESPN. Although he was interested in LSU, he was only offered the opportunity to run track for the Tigers.
Moore committed to TCU where he played football for three seasons, but only ran track for one.
“We recruited him heavily out of high school, and he was going to come here to run track, but TCU came in towards the signing period and offered him a football scholarship,” said LSU track and field coach Dennis Shaver. “As a result, he went to TCU so he could play football and run track.”
In his one season on the track team, Moore established himself as one of the premier hurdlers in the country winning the 2014 Big 12 Championship in the men’s indoor 60-meter hurdles and outdoor 110-meter hurdles, while earning Second Team All-American honors in both.
In football, Moore was buried on the Horned Frogs roster. After switching positions multiple times, he finished his career at TCU with seven receptions for 50 yards and 20 carries for 87 yards with one touchdown.
“I didn’t get the opportunity I thought I should have gotten for football,” Moore said. “But everything works out for the better at the end of the day. I had a good experience. I just had to take my talents elsewhere, where I feel like they could be amplified.”
Moore decided to transfer to an environment which would provide stiffer competition and strengthen his running abilities, and the Southeastern Conference and LSU was his first choice.
Shaver’s notable career and the opportunity to have a high profile training partner like senior hurdler Joshua Thompson for the first time in his career appealed to Moore’s desire to succeed in track.
“He is a great training partner,” Thompson said. “He will probably push me more than I will push him, but I think we will have a great time this year.”
Since arriving at LSU, Moore has been contacted by the football coaches about playing as a walk-on for the Tigers. Moore has one year of eligibility remaining to to his roots at defensive back.
“[The coaches] said they have a deficit at receiver, but I’m thinking about playing defensive back,” Moore said. “I came out of high school as a defensive back. I feel like that’s what my bread and butter is.”
You can reach Jacob Hamilton on Twitter @jhamilton_TDR.