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Falcons Moore adjusting to change |
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Written by Jack Carle - Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune
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Wednesday, August 31 2011 |
 The number on the jersey remains the same. And the player is still a key part of Bowling Green’s defensive front. But Kevin Moore is adjusting to a new position and he’s changed his last name.
Now a fifth-year senior, Moore is a starting defensive end for the Falcons after working at tackle for his entire college career.
“If I would have stayed at tackle, I would have been splitting reps (repetitions) with somebody who would deserve to get more reps,” Moore said. “With me moving to the outside, it will help out the pass rush.”
He played his first four seasons at Bowling Green as Kevin Alvarado. He changed his name to Moore to pay respect to his father and carry on his last name. Alvarado is his mother’s last name.
“I was supposed to do it a couple of years back, but I just never really found time for it,” Moore said.
Moore is coming off his best season as a Falcon, finishing 2010 with 34 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries.
With Angelo Magnone and Darius Smith finishing their eligibility, there was a need for a defensive end and Moore was called on to fill the void.
“I was a little hesitant at the beginning because I didn’t want to change positions my senior year,” Moore said. “It only took maybe two or three conversations (with the coaches) and I was all for it.
“I enjoy it. It’s better for the team and me, but mainly the team,” Moore added. “With me moving to defensive end, it gets our best defensive linemen on the field.”
Moore has worked hard during spring drills, summer sessions and fall camp to make the adjustment to defensive end.
“You think it’s all the same position — defensive line and get the quarterback,” Moore said. “But you are three yards further from the ball, so I had to learn what the defensive ends do ... In the beginning I was struggling a little bit.”
“We moved him, because we thought he was a very athletic tackle,” BG head coach Dave Clawson said. “He’s made the transition well.”
Chris Jones, a third-team all-conference performer last season at defensive tackle, has played with Moore for the last two years and knows he is capable of playing well at the new position.
“Kevin’s a great player. Ever since I’ve been here he’s been making plays,” Jones said. “He’s a great leader, as well.
“He took that role (at end) with no problem at all, and he accepted it,” Jones continued. “Right now I would say he’s our best defensive end.”
It’s never easy no matter what position someone is playing, but at defensive tackle Moore was the object of double-teams from a couple of 300-pound plus offensive linemen on every play.
Now Moore, 6-feet-1, 265 pounds, will be lined up over the tight end, a player who will be more near his own size.
“Making that transition will be somewhat easier than taking on 600 pounds every play,” Moore said about facing the tight end.
“As big as he is, he’s going to be a load for the tight ends to block,” Jones said.
Clawson said many of the techniques are the same for both end and tackle.
“There have been some adjustments,” Clawson said. “A lot of things an end gets, especially against open sets without a tight end, is a lot different than tackles get.”
Moore is a veteran on a young defense, but he has confidence that the Falcons will be better this fall.
“I hate to sound like a cliché, but we’re stronger, we’re faster, we swarm to the ball,” Moore said. “We get a lot of situational work in practice and we get our whole football IQ up.”
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