Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore Has Interesting College Football History With Derek Carr

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Feb 12, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The New Orleans Saints finally filled their head coach opening on Tuesday by hiring Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Moore, 36, becomes the youngest current coach in the NFL. The Eagles OC was in Philadelphia for the 2024 season only after spending 2023 with the Los Angeles Chargers in the same role.

Moore now takes over a Saints roster that includes quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Chris Olave, although they finished 5-12 in 2024, tied for last in the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers.

In an interesting twist, Moore has some interesting college football history involving Carr.

On October 7, 2011, Boise State played a road game against Fresno State in a WAC (Western Athletic Conference) showdown.

The quarterbacks in that game? Kellen Moore for Boise State and Derek Carr for Fresno State.

Boise State was ranked No. 5 in the nation, and the Broncos crushed the Bulldogs, 57-7.

With Eagles OC Kellen Moore slated to be the next Saints Head Coach, we look back at when Moore faced off against his new QB1 back in 2011.

No. 5 Boise State would smash the Bulldogs 57-7. Moore threw for 3 TDs, while Derek Carr went 17/30, 126 yds, 1 INT. pic.twitter.com/2eQqYGWFkw
— Alec Nolan (@AlecABC30) February 9, 2025

Moore finished with 254 yards passing and three touchdowns, with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin scoring a touchdown.

Carr struggled, throwing for just 126 yards with no scores and an interception.

Moore went 50-3 during four years as the starter at Boise State, and 2011 was his final college season before he went to the NFL.

Carr, on the other hand, was in his first season as a full-time starter in 2011. And, to make things more interesting, Fresno State and Boise State were (and still are) rivals.

Now, in an odd twist, Moore is the head coach of the Saints with Carr as his quarterback going into the offseason.

What a story.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: