By Chris Cox
Mannford senior Jake Moore is a bit of Swiss army knife, doing a little bit of everything for the Pirates. As a junior, Moore was the starting quarterback and leading tackler for the Pirates. As a senior, Moore will continue to take snaps at quarterback but will also see more time at wide receiver, the position he considers to be his more natural position.
“Wide receiver is more of my main position, and I think I can make more plays there,” Moore says. “Playing quarterback though has helped become a better receiver. It helps me know what the quarterback sees and make better reads as a receiver.”
Playing more receiver also means that Moore’s younger brother, Max, will get to see time at quarterback for Mannford.
“My little brother, who’s an incoming freshman, is a really good quarterback and will play for us when I’m at receiver,” Moore says. “I’m looking forward to that connection we’ll have. We’ve been playing catch, throwing to each other, and running routes in the back yard since we were young. It’s going to be a fun season playing with him.”
As a team, Moore knows that Mannford hasn’t had a ton of success recently, but he hopes that he can help spark change and lay a foundation for future success.
“We are just trying to improve the program and set an example for the younger kids,” Moore says. “We are just trying to set a standard for the future. We want to improve the culture and attitude around Mannford football.
Outside of football, Moore is a member of the Mannford basketball and baseball teams and runs track for the Pirates. Moore was a state finalist in the long jump two years ago and hopes to get back to state this year. Moore currently holds a football scholarship offer from Bethel College in Kansas and hopes that a big senior year will bring other scholarship opportunities his way.