GREELEY — Coaches who have played against Mike Moore know how many ways the Dayspring Christian standout can beat them. Those who have seen him only on tape can’t help but be jealous of what Eagles coach Mick Holmes has.
“(Moore) does a little bit of everything for them,” said Mancos coach Alan Mathews, whose Blue Jays dropped from 11-man to 8-man this season. He has spent considerable time studying video to prepare for Moore and Dayspring.
A two time all-state selection at end, the 6-foot-2 Moore moved to quarterback this season and now has even more ways to win. And for those thinking there may be a learning curve to a new position, guess again.
“I’ve actually played quarterback more than I have wide receiver, so this is kind of a homecoming,” said Moore, who debuts as the starter Saturday in Hugo against Granada. “I’ve seen a lot of improvement since Week 1.”
His timing, footwork and just pure athleticism made Moore a natural fit to lead the defending champion Eagles. Dayspring even had “Mike time” last year with all-state quarterback Jared Sanderford at the helm. Moore got 20 percent of the snaps during practice.
Leading up to last year’s state title game rematch against Merino, Sanderford was nursing a sore knee. The Eagles didn’t even know for sure until Thursday that he would play.
“I had all the confidence in the world with Mike,” Holmes said. “Just because of his athleticism, he was going to make plays.”
He made plays, all right. He caught 10 passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns en route to earning MVP honors in the title game. He took over the kicking duties for Sanderford as well, making two field goals in the 26-8 victory.
Merino coach John Barber had high praise for the lanky Eagles senior, calling him “maybe the best player to ever play 8-man ball” in Colorado. Barber and the Rams will have another shot against Dayspring in late October.
The flattery is appreciated, but Moore may not even be the best player to don the Eagles’ blue. Lenny Hoke’s No. 9 jersey is retired, and Holmes, who saw Hoke play once in the late 1980s, sees the comparisons.
“Lenny was the real deal,” Holmes said. “He was a lot like Mike, kind of tall and lanky. He had a lot of speed and was pretty tough.”
It’s a whole different approach to football at Dayspring Christian this year. The target-on-their-backs role is one that Moore and fellow seniors Jared Ulmer, Tim Wunder and Wesley Lowe are embracing.
“It’s a nice feeling,” Moore said. “To know that we did something to make people want to beat us.”
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
