Staff Report
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Virginia head football coach Mike London announced former UVa. great Shawn Moore has joined the Cavalier football coaching staff. He becomes the seventh member of London’s staff. His specific position assignment will be announced at a future date.
“Shawn Moore is perhaps one of the most recognizable faces in Virginia football history,” said London. “He has a love and passion for Virginia, and its success on the field and in the classroom. Shawn understands what Virginia is all about in regards to how hand-in-hand the athletic and academic accomplishments are and the opportunities that are afforded for life after football. He brings a unique perspective to the offensive side of the ball and I look forward to all the positive aspects that Shawn will bring to the program.”
“I am truly grateful for this opportunity,” said Moore. “This is an enormous chance that not many people are afforded, especially coming from the high school ranks. I feel it is a representation of the respect that Coach London and I have had for each other over the years where we have kept in touch. This will be my third stint living in Charlottesville, and I am truly appreciative to be able to come back to be a part of the University that gave me so many opportunities in the mid 1980s and early ’90s.”
Moore enters the collegiate coaching ranks for the first time after four seasons as the quarterbacks coach at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C. Moore also served at St. Albans as the Dean of Students for the lower grades.
The former UVa. signal-caller completed his final collegiate season in 1990 holding 41 school, ACC and NCAA individual records and still holds many program records, including most total offense in a career (7,897 yards) and touchdowns responsible for in a career (83).
Moore appeared in three bowl games for the Cavaliers and helped UVa. to the 1989 co-ACC Championship and an appearance in the 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl, the program’s first-ever New Year’s Day bowl game. As a senior, Moore guided the Cavaliers to the program’s first No. 1 national ranking and a second straight New Year’s Day bowl game, the 1991 Sugar Bowl.
Tying the highest finish ever by an ACC player at the time, Moore finished fourth in voting for the 1990 Heisman Trophy. He also garnered first-team All-America honors on the Football Writers Association of America and Kodak (American Football Coaches Association) All-America teams. The All-America honors made Moore the first ACC quarterback to earn first-team All-America honors since NC State’s Roman Gabriel in 1961. Moore also earned second-team All-America honors by the AP, UPI and The Sporting News.
A decorated collegiate career also included being named the “1990 Exemplary Player of the Year” by Street & Smith’s magazine and the Downtown Athletic Club of New York for athletic performance, academic achievement and leadership. Moore finished second for the Walter Camp Foundation National Player of the Year Award in 1990.
A dual threat in the backfield, Moore was the only Division I-A quarterback in 1989 to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 500 yards. He finished his UVa career throwing for 6,629 yards on 421-of-762 passing, including 55 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. On the ground Moore accumulated a career mark of 1,268 rushing yards on 415 attempts, including 28 scores, for a total offense of 7,897 yards and 83 touchdowns.
Moore was chosen as a senior to participate in the Japan Bowl, Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine games, leading up to his selection by the Denver Broncos in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Moore played with the Broncos from 1991-93 before heading to the Arizona Cardinals in 1994. Moore concluded his professional career in 1995 with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders. The consummate athlete, Moore was also drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 71st round of the 1991 Major League Baseball amateur draft, after not playing the sport since high school.
Since retiring as a player, Moore has been an enforcement representative for the NCAA (1997-2000), a scout for the XFL (2000-01), associate athletics director at Howard (2001-03) and the director of sports partnerships for USA Football (2003-06) before taking his most recent position at St. Albans.
Moore is on the board of directors for Virginia’s Ridley Scholarship Fund, as well as a member of the Z Society for exemplary contributions to the University of Virginia. Active in the community, Moore is annually involved with Multiple Sclerosis walks every year, as well as a member of the Washington D.C. Big Brother program.
The Martinsville, Va., native earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Virginia in the spring of 1990, prior to his senior campaign. Moore has one son, Michael.
Moore joins Anthony Poindexter, Vincent Brown, Jeff Hanson, Mike Faragalli, Jim Reid and Chip West as coaches London has previously announced as members of his staff.