New Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore Played Against Derek Carr In College

The New Orleans Saints finally hired their new head coach this week, with the team opting to have former Eagles’ offensive coordinator Kellen Moore be their lead man. He becomes the youngest head coach in the NFL at 36 years old, fewer than three years older than Saints’ projected starting quarterback Derek Carr.

The two actually have a connection that dates all the way back to 2011, when they faced off against one another during their college days.

Saints Coach Kellen Moore Played Against Derek Carr In College

Moore has had a far more successful NFL career as a coach than a player. He went undrafted out of Boise State in 2012, serving as a backup in the Lions and Cowboys organizations between 2012 and 2017. He received playing time in just three games during his tenure as a pro quarterback, a relief appearance and two starts in 2015.

But upon retirement, Kellen Moore was hired onto the Cowboys’ coaching staff. His first year was spent as the team’s quarterback coach, but was quickly promoted to offensive coordinator. Dallas finished first in the NFL in offensive yards twice during his four years at the helm, and had the no. 1 offense overall in 2015.

Fun historical fact:

New #Saints coach Kellen Moore and QB Derek Carr met once in college as starting QBs — with No. 5 Boise St. blowing out Fresno St., 57-7 in 2011.

Moore had 254 passing yards and 3 TDs, Carr had 126 and an INT, the second largest loss for Carr at any level. pic.twitter.com/HJLAz9UemM

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2025

Moore left for Los Angeles to be the Chargers OC, but that lasted just one season. He then spent 2024 in the same position with the Eagles, helping lead Philadelphia to their second Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

While he never made it as a player in the NFL, Moore enjoyed a successful tenure as Boise State’s quarterback in college. He was a four-year starter for the Broncos, leading the team during some of the most successful seasons that they’ve had in program history. He finished with the best passer rating in the nation during his junior year, and completed nearly 75 percent of his passes during his senior season.

Moore Got The Best Of Carr In 2011

During that final year in 2011, Boise State played against long-time conference rival Fresno State on October 7th. The starting quarterback for the Bulldogs in that game was none other than Derek Carr, the man who will be leading his offense with the Saints in 2025.

Kellen Moore (Saints HC) vs. Derek Carr (Saints QB) in 2011 😳 https://t.co/Ga7Z9CCvT2 pic.twitter.com/dwS4vuOVc6

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) February 11, 2025

While Carr had an excellent season in 2011, the game against Boise State was easily the worst of his 13 starts. He threw for a season low 126 yards and 1 interception while failing to find the end zone, and it marked the only game that year that he posted a passer efficiency rating of lower than 100.

Moore racked up 254 yards and scored three touchdowns. Boise State won by a score of 57-7.

Carr has been the starting quarterback for the Saints for each of the past two seasons, but had his year cut short in 2024 due to injury. It was thought that New Orleans could look to move on from the soon-to-be 34-year-old pass thrower, but would save little money if they were to cut or trade Carr this offseason, making him the likely starter for the upcoming campaign.