1-8, lost 6 straight, on track for 2-9 in the regular season.
Now
Career arc
This week Wed Nov 4
- Last gameL 20-26 at San Diego State Sat Oct 31
- This season1-8 lost 6 straight
- Hot seat5% 56th of 132
- On track for2-9 regular season
- Nextvs. Colorado State Sat Nov 14 (no game this week)
- Stature82nd of 138 FBS programs
Win and he’s at 4%. Lose and he’s at 7%.
No game this week · vs. Colorado State, Sat Nov 14, 10:30 pm ET CBS Sports Network · Colorado State is 3-5 · First meeting between Moore and Jim Mora as head coaches · Washington State’s chance to win: 55% (the site’s model)
- If Washington State wins: 4%, 64th of 132
- Now: 5%
- If Washington State loses: 7%, 47th of 132
Is he getting fired?
5% chance he’s out after the season · 56th of 132 FBS head coaches · Cool
If he finishes…
Bar: how likely that finish isNumber: his chance of being out
- 1-117%
- 2-104%
- 3-93%
- 4-82%
Why his number is where it is
Our hot-seat model, on his record so far, the win chances for every game he has left, and his contract (a bigger buyout, relative to pay, makes a change costlier). Ranked against the 132 FBS head coaches with 3+ games this season.
His first rated season here.
His hot seat, week by week
The chance he’s out by the end of that season, as it stood after every week of his tenure here, by today’s model.
What drives his number
The biggest factors, each against the typical FBS job today.
- ▲ Hotter1-8, outscored by 76
- ▼ CoolerYear 1 · tenure, which this model overrates
(why?)
Tenure is one of this model’s strongest inputs, but its weight was set when retirements like Nick Saban’s and Bob Stoops’ still counted as being pushed out, so it overstates how much tenure matters.
- ▼ CoolerNo previous seasons here to judge him on
What happened to coaches like him, 2004–2025
A different comparison: past coaches, not today’s, grouped by one fact at a time. Neither line knows the games he has left or his contract, so they can sit above or below his chance.
- Were 1-8 after 9 games
- 21% pushed out over results · of 136 coaches
- Were in year 1, after 9 games
- 1% pushed out over results · of 518 coaches
How good is this number? Checked on every FBS coach from 2010 to 2025, with its percentages calibrated each season on earlier years only: they track what happened — coaches it put near 25% were out about a quarter of the time — and a version pricing the games left with the previous season’s ratings ranked jobs as well as the ranking this page used before. Each week it learns from coaches who were still on the job at that point, so a firing during the season counts. In the Boiling zone it has run a few points high. Every job, and the method.
His week
Several stories this week →
The headlines, Nov 1–4 from a few outlets
247SportsTimeouts, fourth downs and tough calls: Kirby Moore trying to navigate head coaching growing painsSun Nov 1- 247Sports1 minute with Kirby Moore on loss to San Diego State via SWXSun Nov 1
- SWX Local SportsWSU Football Coaches Show with Kirby Moore: Episode 8Mon Nov 2
Washington State University AthleticsWSU Football: Kirby Moore | San Diego State Postgame | 10/31/26Sun Nov 1
Offense: 130th of 138 per play. Defense: 72nd.
2 games left
- Sat Nov 14vs. Colorado State (3-5)CBS Sports Network55%
- Sat Nov 21at Texas State (4-4)
12%
Percent: Washington State’s chance to win, from the site’s model. Records are through today. Networks as announced; the rest are set closer to kickoff.
How the season got here
Where Washington State stood among 138 FBS programs by stature after each game (1st is the highest; the CFB Zeitgeist ledger).
- Oct 26–Nov 1L 20-26 at San Diego State8 headlines · 54th of 138Washington State Postgame: Kirby Moore, Cougar players following loss to San Diego State SWX Local Sports
- Oct 19–25L 10-31 vs. Boise State14 headlines · 34th of 138Washington State's costly mistake leaves Kirby Moore frustrated after Boise State loss
Sports Illustrated - Oct 12–18L 30-48 at Oregon State6 headlines · 47th of 138Kirby Moore Has NO ONE LEFT TO BLAME if Washington State's Offense Fails vs. Utah State First Coast News
- Oct 5–11L 16-17 at Utah State16 headlines · 29th of 138Kirby Moore faces tough questions about Washington State's offense after another frustrating loss Sports Illustrated
- Sep 28–Oct 4L 6-26 vs. Fresno State12 headlines · 39th of 138Kirby Moore knows exactly what Pac-12 opener means to WSU fans after waiting 1,000 days 247Sports
- Sep 21–27 · rebuiltL 24-34 vs. Arizona9 headlines · 40th of 138
Each week as this page showed it at the time. Weeks marked rebuilt came before this page existed: they were built afterward from only what was known by the end of that week.
Watch the biggest plays from Washington State’s games, ranked by how much each moved the chance to win.
Fans
Fan chatter
- Oct 31L 20-26 at San Diego State
I cant take anymore of kirby moore. I know the roster doesnt help but this guy sucks so hard
Washington State fan - Oct 24L 10-31 vs. Boise State
Boisee beat a good Jake Dickert coached team with John Mateer, just to be in a battle against a 1-6 Kirby Moore team
Washington State fan - Oct 17L 30-48 at Oregon State
Kirby Moore is a football terrorist
Washington State fan
Earlier weeks
- Oct 9L 16-17 at Utah State
Bench Pinnick or fire Kirby Moore. It's outrageous he's still the starter
Washington State fan - Sep 6L 10-24 at Washington
Kirby Moore might be an actual idiot
Washington State fan
Several stories about him this week
Bye week. Next: Colorado State, Sat Nov 14
62nd of 104 FBS head coaches · from a few outlets and r/CFB
Nov 2
What they’re talking about
The headlines for each topic are on the News tab.
Dozens of stories about him this season
from many outlets and r/CFB
Nov 2
What they’re talking about
The headlines for each topic are on the News tab.
Is he on the hot seat? What has he said?
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Stats
Big games
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
0-1 against his rivals.
ATS is his record against the spread: did his team beat the closing betting line, winning by more than it or losing by less? Lines start in 2013; a dash means fewer than 6 of those games had one. One-score games carry no spread record: a big favorite that wins a close game has almost always failed to cover, so that number would say nothing about the coach.
Signature games
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
Style position and drift
Where each stint’s offense sat between run-first and pass-first, and how far it moved from one season to the next, against the FBS-wide average of 41% pass. The band is that stint’s real season-to-season range, not a fixed-width box.
Building the roster
Three numbers on how he actually stocks a roster, from signing day to draft day.
His recruiting, really
No class below is fully his yet — every one was inherited or signed mid-transition, so none counts toward a verdict.
Transition — he was hired mid-cycle
Rank is each signing class’s national recruiting rank (#1 is best). Only a class he had a full signing cycle to build counts as his; inherited and mid-transition classes still show here, faded, but stay out of the average.
Roster ownership
Roster ownership
of his 2026 roster arrived on his watch — 51 of 147 players. The other 96 are holdovers from before he was hired.
Of his own players on this roster, 37% came through the transfer portal; the rest are non-portal arrivals (high-school signees, JUCO transfers, walk-ons).
Everyone he has brought in, 2026–2026Counting players who have since left: 37% of the 51 arrivals we can classify came through the portal.
“His own” means the player arrived while he was head coach; “inherited” means a predecessor brought him in.
Where he recruits
is his biggest recruiting state: 7 of 16 signees (44%) across his 2026–2026 tenure, drawn from 6 states in all. Next: TX (3).
50% of his signees come from CA and its 3 border states (NV 1).
Off this map: 1 signee to the east (PA).
- median hometown distance
- 883 mi
- within 100 mi
- 4%
- within 500 mi
- 27%
- beyond 1,000 mi
- 38%
The map counts signed recruits across his tenure; the distance figures cover his current roster, transfers and walk-ons included. Two different groups, kept separate on purpose.
News
Stories about him
Headlines, grouped by what they are about. Each is the outlet’s own.
This week
Loss
This season
Press conference and quotes
- Sports Illustrated +1What WSU coach Kirby Moore said after loss to Washington in the Apple CupSep 6
All 2 articles
- 247Sports3 WSU headliners upped their games even more this summer, says Kirby MooreAug 5
- Washington State University AthleticsWSU Football: "Attitude of Gratitude" | Kirby Moore 2026 Media Day Press Conference | 8/5/26Aug 6
- SWX Local SportsWSU Football: Kirby Moore, Tony Freeman, Kaden Beatty recap Day 1 of fall camp | Full PresserAug 6
- 247SportsTony Freeman a fall camp standout for WSU through three days, say Kirby MooreAug 8
Game preview
The Seattle Times +1WSU ready to notch first win of Kirby Moore era in home-opener against FCS Duquesne - The Spokesman-ReviewSep 18All 2 articles
- Sports Illustrated +1Washington State’s Pac-12 opener comes with a personal twist for Kirby MooreSep 28
All 2 articles
- Sports Illustrated +1Kirby Moore faces tough questions about Washington State's offense after another frustrating lossOct 10
- Sports Illustrated +1Washington State’s Kirby Moore calls matchup with alma mater Boise State a ‘tremendous opportunity'Oct 20
- KXLY"There’s no substitute for practice" One-on-one with Washington State head coach Kirby Moore ahead of fall campAug 5
Quarterback and depth chart
- Sports Illustrated +1Washington State coach Kirby Moore announces new starting quarterback ahead of Oregon State gameOct 12
- 247SportsWashington State’s QB1 will reveal himself: Inside Kirby Moore's vision on eve of fall campAug 5
- SWX Local SportsWashington State football: Kirby Moore previews fall camp, QB competition, injuries | Full Press ConferenceAug 5
The Spokesman-ReviewOn eve of fall camp, WSU coach Kirby Moore says team will announce starting QB before season-opener, plus other injury news - The Spokesman-ReviewAug 5- 247SportsKirby Moore lauds opening day efficiency, but WSU's QB battle just beginningAug 6
Loss
- Sports Illustrated +1Kirby Moore leaves door open to major WSU changes after ugly loss to Fresno StateOct 4
All 2 articles
- KREMWSU ready to open Kirby Moore era tomorrow with first day of fall campAug 5
- KREMWSU opens first fall camp under new head coach Kirby MooreAug 6
Yakima Herald-RepublicProsser's Kirby Moore feels at home in Pullman as fall camp begins - Yakima Herald-RepublicAug 6- SWX Local SportsWashington State Postgame: Kirby Moore, Cougar players following loss to ArizonaSep 27
Win
- Moscow-Pullman Daily News +1Cougars notch first victory of Kirby Moore eraSep 19
All 2 articles
The Lewiston TribuneCougars notch first victory of Kirby Moore eraMoscow-Pullman Daily NewsCougars notch first victory of Kirby Moore era - dnews.com - The Spokesman-ReviewWSU, first-year coach Kirby Moore ready to try and pull massive upset on No. 17 Washington in 118th Apple CupSep 5
- Yakima Herald-RepublicKirby Moore's Cougars fall short of upset in Prosser native's head coaching debutSep 6
- 247SportsOne loss, plenty of lessons: Kirby Moore finds positives in WSU's Apple Cup defeatSep 6
- 247SportsKirby Moore calm, cool and collected in first Crimson-infused victorySep 19
In-game decisions
- 247Sports +1Kirby Moore assuming WSU offensive play calling dutiesOct 6
All 2 articles
- 247SportsTime for Kirby Moore to take over play-calling duties after two abysmal performancesSep 12
- KREMWSU Football Head Coach Kirby Moore taking over offensive play-calling at Washington StateOct 5
FootballScoopKirby Moore making a change, taking over play-calling at Washington StateOct 5- The Daily EvergreenKirby Moore takes over play calling from Matt MillerOct 6
In his own words
Every quote, back to September 2026
In his own words
The situational football piece. We didn’t do a good enough job there in the red zone, we didn’t do a good enough job there on fourth down. Everyone’s got a piece of that, and that starts with me
We’ve got to do a good job of preventing self-inflicted wounds
It was a play we installed and most college football teams install, one of the first days of spring ball or fall camp, and we were not on the same page with the back
They have a good scheme and good backs, they put the ball on the corner and make the corner miss
No, the best players are gonna play
We’re not looking in the rear-view mirror, we gotta keep building on where we’re at right now
We’re either coaching it or we’re allowing it to happen
The big thing is we got to continue to work on accuracy with the football, and when something’s there, we got to take advantage
First, we have to evaluate everything on offense
It’s a collective effort
The speed showed up. Jaylen Thomas, who’s done it on defense, right, doing it down on special teams, that guy’s special
[I] think he has the potential to come back with the new five for five rule for another season here at Washington State
We gotta work together to improve, it’s a team effort
Turnovers and situational football, we have to improve on offense
The defense did a nice job against the run. That has to carry over against Kansas State
Yeah, they [the missed kicks] were surprising
Career
Hires into jobs like this
Hired into programs rated 25 to 25 (Regional Program I tier). Rough match, not calibrated yet — ranked on what the job inherited alone. Coaches hired into this same job aren’t used as comps.
- Jimmy Rogers20256–6+0.5 ✕
- Jake Dickert20213–3+0.7
- Nick Rolovich20201–3-1.8
- Mike Leach20123–9-2.2
- Paul Wulff20082–11-8.9
- Bill Doba200310–3+3.1
- Mike Price19896–5+2.6
- Dennis Erickson19873–7-1.8
Coaching career
The arc of his career is on Now.
Followed Jimmy Rogers (2025).
Brings in smaller-than-position-typical players than most.
Recruits younger transfers than most — more of a development bet.
How good is he so far?
Coordinator years
Offensive coordinator across 2 programs, 2 stints, before and after wearing the head-coach hat — every season measured on the same axis, whether he personally ran the unit or someone else did.
How to read this. Coordinator seasons come from our coordinator career records; head-coaching-era seasons are the same unit's FBS-relative percentile for those years, regardless of who coached it, read directly from the staff assignments record. A role change (a “hinge”) is a fact, never a performance verdict — only the season-by-season data itself is colored by outcome.