WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Against Boston College on Sept. 1, Wake Forest's Kenneth Moore caught 15 passes for 126 yards.
He tied the Demon Deacon record for catches made and was just one off the Atlantic Coast Conference record. It was also his first-ever 100-yard receiving game.
On Saturday against Nebraska, Moore outdid himself.
Playing I-back, the 6-foot, 204-pound senior tallied four catches for 35 yards and added eight carries for 116 yards in Wake Forest's 20-17 loss to the Cornhuskers.
"It really doesn't matter to me," Moore said when asked if he preferred playing I-back or wide receiver. "I'd like to be a multipurpose player - whatever you want to call it. ... That's what the coaches think will help the team."
While splitting time with other players in the first half, Moore had only two receptions and two rushes. His first seven yards came off a rush on the first play of the Deacons' third drive and was quickly followed by a 13-yard reception.
But with Wake Forest down by three at the half, the Deacons started going to Moore. A 36-yard rush soon led to a five-yard touchdown run that put Wake Forest up 17-13. Later in the third quarter, Moore rolled off a 34-yard run.
"The nice thing about Kenny - it's good and bad - we'd like to play him at running back and at receiver," Wake Forest Coach Jim Grobe said. "So we have to find a way to get balls to him as much as possible, whether it's directly handing the ball or him receiving (the ball). He's been very impressive the first few games."
In an attempt to give Moore even more touches, he has been used on kickoff and punt returns. He notched two punt returns for 14 yards and two kickoff returns for 34 yards, including a long return of 21 yards.
With Moore averaging 14.5 yards a carry, it was obvious the running game was working against Nebraska's defensive line.
The Deacons totaled 236 rushing yards and 140 yards passing.
Six Wake Forest players had three or more rushing attempts Saturday, but it was Moore who found himself in the midst of the most controversial calls of the contest. As Deacon quarterback Brett Hodges attempted four times to connect with Moore on Wake Forest's final drive of the game, Deacon fans booed when NU senior cornerback Cortney Grixby was not called for interference. A near-interception by Husker senior safety Ben Eisenhart was called back.
Following the game, Moore couldn't even remember how many rushing attempts he got against the Huskers.
"I don't even know how many times I touched the ball," Moore said. "I did what I needed to do. You know, whatever I need to do to help the team."
KATELYNKERKHOVE@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
