(UW Athletics release)
LARAMIE, Wyo. – University of Wyoming Football added assistant coach Shannon Moore to its coaching staff on Tuesday. The announcement was made by head coach Craig Bohl. Moore comes to Wyoming after spending the last three years at East Carolina University. Moore will coach the Wyoming tight ends and fullbacks.
“Shannon (Moore) is a coach I’ve crossed paths with many times,” said Bohl. “He has a broad base of experience coaching at South Dakota State, Florida International and East Carolina, and he has a great enthusiasm for the University of Wyoming. We’re really excited about having him join our staff.
“Shannon grew up in western Nebraska, and played at Black Hills State. His wife is a UW graduate. I think he will bring a lot of energy to our program and a good understanding of the culture here at the University of Wyoming.”
“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to join Coach Bohl’s staff, the University of Wyoming and Cowboy Football,” said Moore. “I’ve watched Coach Bohl’s teams play tough, disciplined football for a long time. I can’t imagine a better opportunity to be part of the culture and the growth that he and his football staff are cultivating at UW.
“Wyoming is special place for our family as my wife, Lindsay, is from Casper and is a UW graduate. This is definitely a blessing to be able to come home and join Cowboy nation. Go Pokes!”
A native of Gordon, Neb., Moore has been coaching at the college level for the past 15 seasons. He comes to Wyoming from East Carolina University, which is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Moore coached at East Carolina for three seasons from 2016-18. His first two seasons, he coached the tight ends and coordinated the special teams for the Pirates, including coordinating the field goal, punt and kickoff return and punt and kickoff coverage teams. In 2016, punter Worth Gregory earned All-American Athletic Conference honors and place-kicker Davis Plowman ranked No. 2 in the AAC in field goals made per game and in field-goal percentage. The 2017 season saw punter Austin Barnes lead the AAC in punting and rank No. 19 in the nation, while place-kicker Jake Verity ranked No. 2 in the AAC and No. 33 in the nation in field goals made per game. Punter Worth went to mini-camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars when his college career ended in 2016, and tight end Stephen Baggett earned a spot in the Cleveland Browns’ preseason camp following his senior season of 2017. Moore’s final season, he continued to coach the tight ends, while also being given the responsibility of being the recruiting coordinator.
Before joining the East Carolina coaching staff, Moore coached for two seasons (2014-15) at Florida International University where he served as the special teams coordinator both seasons. His 2014 Panther special teams’ units ranked No. 1 overall in Conference USA in special teams combined rankings, and his 2015 special teams were No. 3 overall. Punt returner Richard Leonard led Conference USA in punt returns both seasons and earned First Team All-Conference honors as a punt returner in both 2014 and ‘15. Leonard set a new FIU single-season school record for punt returns in 2014, averaging 23.76 yards per return. Leonard went on to play for the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League. The Panthers ranked No. 1 in C-USA in punt returns as a team in 2014 and ranked No. 2 in the nation. Moore’s 2015 special teams led the league and ranked among the country’s best in punt return average (10.8 yards per return), most blocked kicks (four) and fewest blocks suffered (zero).
Moore coached for eight seasons as a full-time assistant coach at South Dakota State (2006-13) and two years at SDSU as a graduate assistant (2003-04). During his time at South Dakota State, he coordinated special teams and coached tight ends his last four seasons from 2010-13. Prior to that, Moore coached the running backs and tight ends from 2006-08, before taking on the duties of special teams coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the 2009 season.
During his tenure with the Jackrabbits, Moore coached four all-conference running backs and a pair of all-conference tight ends. At running back, Kyle Minett developed into a two-time All-America honoree while ranking second in career rushing with 4,277 yards. Anthony Watson and Cory Koenig also ended their careers in the top five on SDSU’s career rushing chart. Moore played an instrumental role in the development of two-time All-Great West Football Conference tight end Chris Wagner, who later signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders. He also served as a mentor to tight end Colin Cochart, who earned first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors in 2010 and later signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Jackrabbits consistently ranked among the top teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in several special teams categories under Moore’s direction. SDSU ranked first or second in kickoff coverage in 2010 and 2011, while ranking among the Top 20 nationally for net punting in those respective campaigns as well. The Jackrabbits also stood ninth nationally for kickoff returns with an average of 23.86 yards per attempt in 2010. In addition to his coaching duties, Moore performed a key role in the academic success of the South Dakota State football program, which led its league in the number of academic all-league selections in each of the eight seasons. In addition, six Jackrabbits earned Capital One Academic All-America honors, two received Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Athletic Directors Association Postgraduate Scholarships and another pair were bestowed with NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. Moore previously served as a graduate assistant at SDSU during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, working with the running backs, tight ends and special teams while pursuing a master’s degree in education administration. He later added a master’s degree in sports administration from South Dakota State in 2007.
Before returning to Brookings, he served as head coach of the Wyoming Cavalry of the National Indoor Football League, where he compiled an 18-11 record over two seasons. In 2005, Moore led the Casper-based Cavalry to a franchise-best, 10-5 record and a playoff berth, while also serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Moore played three seasons at Black Hills (S.D.) State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 2000. Moore completed his master’s degree in educational administration in 2005 and his master’s in sports administration in 2007, both from South Dakota State.
He and his wife, Lindsay, have a 16-month old daughter, Mackenzie Rose.
Shannon Moore’s Coaching Experience
2019- Wyoming Tight Ends and Fullbacks
2018 East Carolina Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
2016-17 East Carolina Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
2014-15 Florida International Special Teams Coordinator
2010-13 South Dakota State Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
2009 South Dakota State Special Teams Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2006-08 South Dakota State Running Backs and Tight Ends
2004-05 Wyoming Cavalry* Head Coach
2003-04 South Dakota State Graduate Assistant
Bohl also announced on Tuesday the promotion of two current members of the Cowboy Football staff to new positions.
Jake Dickert has been named Wyoming’s new Defensive Coordinator, while AJ Cooper has been named the Defensive Run-Game Coordinator. Dickert will be entering his third season on the Cowboy coaching staff in 2019. Cooper will be serving as a member of the Wyoming coaching staff for his sixth season in 2019.
“The last two years, Jake (Dickert) has demonstrated a great ability to relate to players and get them to play at a really high level,” said Bohl. “He has also demonstrated a broad understanding of the game that will enable him to coordinate a complete defense. This will be an exciting time for him and for our defense. I’ve known and worked with Jake for many years here at Wyoming and at North Dakota State. He has coordinated defenses before and has had great success. I know our players will enjoy his leadership.”
Dickert has coached the Cowboy safeties the past two seasons, including coaching two-time First Team All-Mountain West selection Andrew Wingard and three-time captain Marcus Epps. Dickert previously served as a defensive coordinator at Augustana in 2013 and at Minnesota State-Mankato in 2014-15. While the defensive coordinator at Minnesota State-Mankato, he helped lead them to the NCAA Division II playoffs in both 2014 and 2015 and the Division II National Championship Game in 2014. He also coached on Bohl’s staffs at North Dakota State from 2008-10, including an FCS Quarterfinal appearance by the Bison in 2010.
“AJ (Cooper) has done a phenomenal job with our defensive front,” said Bohl. “Anytime you are going to play great defense, you have to be great up front. His understanding of our schemes and his experience is invaluable. We’re going to lean on him more this coming season.”
Cooper has coached the Cowboy defensive ends for the past five seasons and has also served as the Cowboys’ special teams coordinator. He helped mentor All-Mountain West Conference selections Eddie Yarbrough and Carl Granderson during his time at Wyoming. Cooper coached with Bohl at North Dakota State from 2006-2013, including being part of three FCS National Championship teams at NDSU in 2011, ‘12 and ‘13.
This past season, Dickert and Cooper were part of a defensive staff that helped guide the Cowboy defense to several national rankings. The Pokes ranked No. 19 in the nation in total defense in 2018 (326.2 yards allowed per game), were No. 25 in rushing defense (129.5 yards per game), ranked No. 28 in scoring defense (22.0 points per game) and were No. 32 in pass defense (196.7 yards per game).
There is one defensive coaching position that remains to be filled on the Wyoming Football staff.
