Season Preview: Meet Kirby Moore, Cougars New-Look Coaching Staff

As fall camp rolls along, Emerald City Spectrum is giving you the rundown on what you need to know before the Washington State Cougars open the 2026 season against Washington in the annual Apple Cup.

Washington State enters the season with a completely new coaching staff at the top, led by first-year head coach Kirby Moore. Moore has also brought in Matt Miller to run the offense and Trent Bray to lead the defense.

While all three coaches bring different backgrounds and coaching experiences to Pullman, they share one common goal: getting Washington State ready to compete in the new-look Pac-12.

Here is a look at the three men calling the shots for the Cougars in 2026:

Kirby Moore, Head Coach

Kirby Moore enters his first season as Washington State’s head coach, but he is far from new to college football.

A native of Prosser, Washington, Moore grew up around football. His father, Tom Moore, was a longtime high school coach at Prosser, where Kirby played before eventually joining his older brother, Kellen Moore, at Boise State.

Moore played wide receiver for the Broncos from 2009-13, helping Boise State post a 45-8 record during his career. He finished with 115 receptions for 1,137 yards and six touchdowns. After his playing career ended, he quickly moved into coaching.