Texas Tech Red Raiders WR Darrin Moore Arrested on DWI, Future on Team in Doubt

By David Blum
Featured CFB Writer


Before last season, 6’4″ Texas Tech wide receiver Darrin Moore was on the Biletnikoff Award watch list for the nation’s top pass-catcher. A massive target in the Red Raiders aerial attack, Moore’s season was derailed by injuries and a struggle to re-integrate himself into the Tech offense following a three game absence.

Now, his absence from the team could be permanent.

At 1:45 in the morning on April 13, 2012, Moore was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated (DUI). On Tuesday, Moore was suspended indefinitely from the Texas Tech football team as he awaits trial.

Too often the human interest side of these sorts of events are ignored, with fans and media immediatey speculating as to what the team will do without the player in question. Moore put himself and others in danger that April morning and could be facing serious legal penalties for his actions. The 22-year-old senior-to-be now faces questions, not only about his football future, but the rest of his life as well.

Still, college football is a machine that keeps on turning, and Red Raider coach Tommy Tuberville will need to find replacements for Moore’s production in the fall.

Replacing the fired Mike Leach, arguably the greatest coach in school history two seasons ago, Tuberville has experienced middling results in Lubbock. He has a combined record of just 13-12, with all of those losses coming in Big 12 conference play. Year three at Tech is almost a make-or-break scenario for the former Auburn coach.

Moore’s absence will be most felt in the spread offensive sets that the Red Raiders frequently employ. Moore was the starting “Z” receiver in this formation, and with the graduation of Jacoby Franks that role could go to rising sophomore Shawn Corker.

Quarterback Seth Doege will be a senior in 2012 and his favorite targets, Alex Torres and Eric Ward return. However, both are smaller receivers as opposed to the larger Moore.

Whether or not Moore returns to the team, Tuberville obviously isn’t looking for these kinds of off-season distractions. No coach is. But with home games against Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Baylor this year, Tech has a chance to show that last year’s win in Norman, Okla., wasn’t just a random occurrence. Just three years ago this was one of the most consistent programs in college football.

With problems on and off the field, however, it looks like the historically weak program could be reverting back to being the same old Tech.

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