Kentucky hopes kicker Jackson Moore can bring consistency
Waxhaw (N.C.) Marvin Ridge kicker Jackson Moore announced in a message posted to social media over the weekend that he has committed to Kentucky's football program.
The Class of 2023 specialist handles field goals and extra points, punting, and kickoffs for his high school team, but has been recruited to primarily handle kickoffs and extra points at the college level for the Wildcats.
Moore is a preferred walk-on for Kentucky, with the opportunity to earn a scholarship becoming much more likely if he were to win the starting kicking position.
"It's definitely relieving," Moore said in an interview with Cats Illustrated after his decision. "It's been a very long, tough, stressful process and I'm glad it's over."
So how did everything with Kentucky come together?
"They actually first contacted me the day they offered me," Moore said. "Coach Boulware, the new special teams coach, had known the staff that was at Oklahoma with him and moved to Southern Cal. I was getting recruited by Southern Cal. He got the job at Kentucky and I was recommended by the USC guy he knew. He saw me on December 20 and he texted me and was like, 'Hey, I would like to get on the phone with you and your family,' and on the same day he offered me. From there we've been talking over the phone."
Moore just had an opportunity to meet Boulware and others because he visited Kentucky over the weekend for the first time.
He got a tour of the facilities, met with an academic adviser, viewed the dorm rooms, and had a photo shoot.
"I think Coach (Mark) Stoops is a great coach with great intentions," Moore said. "He has great morals and everything he believes in I strongly believe in as well. I obviously like all his coaches. His program's up and coming. They've always kinda been known as a basketball school but they're turning it around with all these recruits they've been bringing in. I like the way they come together and play. Watching their games, whether they're winning or losing there's a brotherhood. They always play fast, strong, and aggressive and for the team."
Moore said he wants to gain more weight, and strength in the process, and that could allow him to develop the power for kickoffs.
But for now, Moore knows what kind of kicker he is.
"Most kickers getting recruited at my level like to go out and kick as far as they can," Moore said. "I've kinda been the opposite. I've never really been the biggest kid, so I've always been more of a short-range and consistent kicker, and that's what's really helped me. That's what (Boulware's) looking for in me. As long as I can hit 50 and in, consistently, that's what matters. You're rarely going to have to kick over 50 yards, so as long as short is consistent, which I am, that's what they see in me. Because most of these other kids train to be long ball kickers and in reality what you need is consistency."