Hall of Fame
Position: Defensive Line
Years: 1997-99
Place of Birth: Brownsville, TN
Date of Birth: March 20, 1977
Jersey Number:
Height: 5-11
Weight: 225
High School: Haywood (TN)
Corey Moore brought an extreme intensity and physicality to every single play, relentlessly disrupting opposing offenses en route to becoming the most decorated defensive player to wear a Hokie uniform. The Brownsville, Tennessee, native now becomes only the fifth Virginia Tech player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First Team All-American, and just the second Hokie ever to earn unanimous honors (1999), Moore became the first player in history to claim both Lombardi Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy in the same season. As the leader of Virginia Tech's famed "Lunch Pail Defense," Moore anchored the effort, which saw the Hokies led the nation in rushing defense (85.0 ypg) and first downs allowed (352) during the 1998 and 1999 seasons and the nation in scoring defense (10.5 ppg) in 1999. The Football News named him the Defensive Player of the Year in 1999.
The team went 27-9 during his three seasons in Blacksburg, including three bowl berths. The team posted a 7-5 record in 1997, appearing in the 1998 Gator Bowl. The following year, the Hokies improved to 9-3 on the season, defeating Alabama, 38-7, in the Music City Bowl with Moore claiming game MVP honors. In 1999, the Hokies and Hall of Fame coach Frank Beamer crafted the best performance in school history, finishing 11-1 and ranking No. 2 in the final AP Poll after playing in the BCS National Championship Game against Florida State in the 2000 Sugar Bowl, the school's first ever appearance in a national title game.
The two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, Moore helped the Hokies claim the 1999 Big East title, and he twice led the conference in sacks, posting 17.5 in 1999 and 13.5 in 1998. He was named the recipient of the Dudley Award by the Richmond Times Dispatch as the top player in the State of Virginia in 1999.
He finished his career with 166 tackles, 58 tackles for loss, 35 sacks, four pass breakups, three fumble recoveries (including one returned for a touchdown), six forced fumbles and three blocked kicks. Moore is the only player in Virginia Tech history who longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster has bestowed lifetime possession of "The Pail," the iconic object among Hokie defensive players, signifying blue-collar hard work. The Hokies retired Moore's jersey in 2010.
Drafted in the third round of the 2000 NFL by Buffalo, he played for the Bills for a single season then later signed a two-year contract with Miami.
Moore currently works in real estate development. He earned a master's degree in student affairs from Michigan State, and he is working towards a doctorate in higher education administration. He previously worked as an academic advisor and recruiter of minority and first-generation college students at Michigan State.
