It would be hard for any long-time Virginia football fan to forget Shawn Moore, but his exploits after college are not as commonly known. He has never left the sport that made his name and currently serves as the Director of Sports Partnerships for USA Football, an advocacy organization created by the NFL in 2002.
It was as quarterback of the Cavaliers that Martinsville native Moore made his name. Though he sat in favor of Scott Secules during his freshman year, Moore started for the Cavaliers from 1988-90. In three seasons, Moore broke career school records in completions (421), passing yardage (6,629) and touchdowns (55), all of which survived until Matt Schaub broke them in 2003.
In Moore's sophomore season, the Cavaliers finished 7-4 and did not qualify for a bowl game. Moore was responsible for 25 Virginia touchdowns, second in school history at the time, but only fourth by the end of his career.
Moore was at the helm of Virginia's breakout seasons of 1989 and 1990. In 1989, the Cavaliers were ACC co-champions, finishing at 10-3, and played in the first Jan. 1 bowl game in school history -- a 31-21 loss to Illinois in the Florida Citrus Bowl.
As a senior a year later, Moore was hard-pressed for an encore but did quarterback the team to its first-ever No. 1 national ranking. Through the air, Moore was 144 of 241 for 2,262 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading the nation in passing efficiency. He added eight rushing touchdowns, spurring the 8-4 Cavaliers to a Sugar Bowl appearance.
However, 1990 is a year of "what-ifs," as Virginia started 7-0 and held the top spot in the polls for three weeks. A loss to Georgia Tech ended national championship dreams, and the Cavaliers faded down the stretch. Despite the disappointing end to the season, Virginia gained respect from some perennial powerhouses.
"A year before [1990], we played Penn State and Notre Dame, and they said 'we'll see how far Virginia has come,'" Moore said. "In 1990 for us to go to the top of the polls said a lot."
Moore was honored by being selected as a Heisman Trophy finalist in 1990. He finished well behind the winner, Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer, but has fond memories of the event.
"The actual Heisman ceremony was great," Moore said. "All the Heisman winners were all surrounded. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet some of those guys [Detmer, Notre Dame WR Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, and Colorado RB Eric Bieniemy]."
Moore was drafted in the 11th round of the NFL draft and played four seasons in the league. After spending 1991 on the Denver Bronco practice squad, Moore served as the third-string quarterback behind John Elway and rookie Tommy Maddox in 1992.
When Elway got hurt ten games into the season and Maddox proved ineffective, Coach Dan Reeves alternated plays between Moore and Maddox in a game against Dallas. Moore finished the year 17-34 for 232 yards and three interceptions, and the Broncos failed to make the postseason.
After spending 1993 behind AFC MVP Elway, Moore was traded to Arizona and saw no snaps. He then plied his trade in the CFL with the Ottawa Rough Riders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers before calling it quits.
"My career [at Virginia] was the highlight of my football career," Moore said. "We did something that no other U.Va. team has done. We reached the pinnacle."
Following the pros, Moore worked for the NCAA for three years as an investigator. Thereafter, he was involved in the XFL office of player personnel, and when that league went belly-up, became assistant athletic director at Howard University.
Moore then moved to USA Football where he is working to develop a national youth football program.
"We [USA Football] want the youth football [YMCA, etc.] to come under our umbrella," Moore said. "We want to help with national standards for youth football."
In football circles, Moore's name still resonates strongly as a proven winner.
"Shawn brings to the organization the credibility of someone who has played the game at every level," USA Football Executive director Dave Ogrean said. "He is passionate about the sport and his knowledge of the game is second to none. Shawn is well-known, well-liked and an invaluable asset to USA Football."
No matter his future plans, which Moore says are undecided, Shawn Moore will always be remembered by Cavalier fans for bringing the program to prominence.
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