AMES — The injury bug ran rampant through the Iowa State football locker room last season, but those ill-timed setbacks are a reality that tight end Tyler Moore knows all too well.
The Des Moines native and former Johnston High School standout dealt with his own ailments last year, missing the final five games due to a lower-leg injury he sustained against Kansas. It was the latest injury for Moore, who has nursed many bumps and bruises throughout his Cyclone career.
“I feel like the last three years, there’s probably too many for me to count off the top of my head,” Moore said. “It’s a lot here and there, some are just dings and bruises and some are long-term injuries. Yeah, it’s a good number, but I got a good group of guys around me to keep rallying and keep playing.”
While he might not be able to keep track of all the injuries he faced while in Ames, there’s no questioning his toughness. Despite the various setbacks, his mettle is easily measured by the fact that those ailments didn’t stop him from appearing in 36 games since 2022, when he was first eligible to play after a redshirt year.
“Talk about a guy that eats nails, and is the same guy every day, and will run through a forest blindfolded — whatever kind of toughness saying you want to say about Tyler — he checks all of those boxes,” said Cyclones tight ends coach and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser. “He’ll do whatever it takes for this football team. He was a (true) freshman on that 2021 team and he got to learn from the Charlie Kolars and the Chase Allens, just kind of that do-whatever-it-takes mentality. Doesn’t matter if he’s played eight snaps or 50 snaps, when that guy’s number gets called, it’s going to be 1,000 miles an hour.”
This year, now healthier, Moore continues to play his part in the tight end rotation. He also took over the hybrid fullback-blocking tight end role that was previously held by Stevo Klotz.
He helped the Cyclones flex their depth at tight end against Arkansas State. With Gabe Burkle out for Iowa State’s 24-16 victory over the Red Wolves, Moore played more snaps and showcased his playmaking abilities, catching two passes for a career-high 58 yards. One reception went for 31 yards, where Moore made a defender miss on his way to crossing midfield.
That play later led to Iowa State’s first touchdown of the game. He was much more than just a blocker.
“He’s been through so much, just physically,” said Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell. “… What I really appreciate about him, he’s been the ultimate teammate. As disappointing and as frustrating as some of those injuries have been, he’s been the guy picking everybody else up. So, you’re not totally shocked when his number got called last Saturday. Man, he picked us up with his game and it’s great to see him healthy, great to see him out there making great plays for us.”
His celebration after that 31-yard reception was just a fraction of the exuberance Moore feels to be able to back on the field this season.
Even when he learned that last year’s injury during the loss to Kansas was going to sideline him for the remainder of the 2024 campaign, Moore tried to contribute in any way he could. He took on more of a mentor role and served as an additional coach to help out the younger tight ends.
“Obviously, I couldn’t do anything physically, so I was able to really dig deep into the playbook, help those guys out on the playbook and kind of coach on and coach along some of the fundamentals and stuff like that for the younger guys,” Moore said. “I feel like that’s a big part of what I do and I do enjoy doing that.”
Those times spent sidelined have only bolstered Moore’s appreciation for the game. He hasn’t missed any time during the Cyclones’ 4-0 start this season, and he hopes things stay that way.
Maybe he’ll revisit coaching once his playing days are over. But for now, he’ll stick to making his mark for the Iowa State offense and enhancing the tight end group with his presence on game days.
“It was definitely a long offseason or few past offseasons for me,” Moore said, referencing his injury history. “So, it’s definitely great to be back out there with my guys, because obviously, there’s nothing more I love doing than playing alongside those guys every day. Just being able to be out there and not be injured, it’s honestly super awesome.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is just playing the next play, taking every opportunity you have and making the most of it because you never know what could be taken from you.”
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How Iowa State football tight end Tyler Moore’s toughness uplifts the Cyclones
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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