Denzel Moore started taking Indiana seriously when the Hoosiers beat Penn State in early October.
The Nittany Lions were one of the top schools recruiting the Class of 2023 defensive end/outside linebacker from Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga., and Moore could sense that was evidence that the Hoosiers were entering a different stratosphere.
“I started focusing on them when they beat Penn State,” Moore said. “That’s when I started actually thinking about it. Penn State, they were one of the top teams that were recruiting me. It was like, ‘Indiana?’ Wow.”
Moore’s interest grew significantly when the Hoosiers hired former Georgia defensive backs coach Charlton Warren as their defensive coordinator, and even more after a virtual visit showed Moore the legitimacy of IU’s facilities. He committed to the Hoosiers on Wednesday over a blue blood group of finalists that included Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Maryland, Notre Dame, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas A&M.
Indiana had been involved with Moore since June with defensive line coach Kevin Peoples heading the recruitment. Warren’s hire accelerated the process significantly and after a virtual visit and meeting with IU coach Tom Allen last week he was sold.
“I saw their weight room and it’s one of the biggest in the country,” Moore said. “That really told me the investment in the program is great. I saw the locker room too, it’s nice. There’s great investment they put into the program, and academic wise, I looked up the numbers and saw the alumni. It’s a great school.”
At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Moore is listed as a linebacker, but he said Indiana views him as an edge rusher and he expects to play on the line of scrimmage.
“Coach Peoples said they want me at defensive end rushing the quarterback,” Moore said. “He said he watched my film. They love how I rush the quarterback right now.”
