In a broader sense, Kirby Moore's head-coaching debut with Washington State University football seemed like a rousing success on Sunday.For four quarters, the sideline was structured and orderly. The on-field operation, on both sides of the ball, was largely clean and efficient. Nobody blew his or her top emotionally. And the Cougars were certainly competitive against 17th-ranked Washington in the Apple Cup.If it wasn't considered a monumental moment for a man who had never sat in the captain's chair with a football team before, it was at least a storyline - one to which Moore didn't provide much insight following the game.Moore was asked about it midway through his post-game press conference at Husky Stadium. His response was a masterclass in pure deflection.“I embraced my role, obviously helping out on offense, defense and special teams picking guys up," Moore told reporters. "I am just very appreciative of the players fighting throughout the game.”Minutes after a loss might not be the best moment to ask somebody about the sentimentality of an experience, which is why the topic was brought up again on Monday at Moore's weekly press conference as the team began preparations for Kansas State.He was asked if coaching in a first game gave him any more appreciation for what his father, Tom, did for so many seasons at Prosser High School, or what his older brother, Kellen, is doing in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.Moore softened up for just a few seconds: "Yeah, it does," he said with a short hesitation before giving a more extended answer, deflecting from it being a team experience.Tom Moore, who flew into Seattle on Saturday to watch the Apple Cup, spent time with his son the night before the game.Was Kirby Moore nervous at all?"Didn't seem like it," Tom Moore said. "We were at the team hotel. He was excited."The elder Moore went on to point out that when Kirby Moore seeks out advice, it usually comes from the college coaches he's either played for or worked for - especially former Boise State and Washington coach Chris Petersen."I know one of the first calls when he took the job was from Coach Pete," Tom Moore said. "He just put the phone down and listened (to advice)."When you are a high-level coordinator, maybe moving one spot over isn't so big of a deal that an overreaction is warranted."My older son (Kellen) said one thing - going from being a coordinator to a head coach, you are just adding more people to the room when you talk," Tom Moore said.How have all of the Moore family members fared in their head-coaching debut?* Tom Moore's first game was at Prosser High School in 1986. The Mustangs lost to West Valley of Yakima to kick off a 4-5 season. It would be the only losing season in his coaching career.* Hired by New Orleans last year from the offensive coordinator ranks with the Philadelphia Eagles, Kellen Moore lost his opener in 2025 to Arizona, 20-13. The Saints finished 6-11.* And now Kirby Moore\s debut was a defeat - albeit a competitive one against a ranked rival."Coach Moore is very low-key and a very poised coach, which I love," WSU quarterback Caden Pinnick said.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow