UCLA Safety Rahim Moore
Bruins Sophomore Has 5 Interceptions Over 1st 2 Games
Bruins free safety Rahim Moore made two interceptions, helping UCLA improve to 2-0 with a 19-15 victory over Tennessee in a college football game Saturday, Sept. 12, at Knoxville, Tenn.
So the sophomore already has five interceptions this year. He had three in his team's season-opening 33-14 victory over San Diego State.
Still, Moore was the "other" safety in Knoxville on Saturday. Berry is an All-American who's just 15 yards shy of becoming the NCAA's all-time leader in interception return yardage. Tennessee has launched an a Heisman Trophy campaign for the junior.
And Berry did deliver a strong performance vs. the Bruins, making a team-high 10 tackles and helping the Volunteers hold UCLA to 186 yards of total offense.
But Moore made quite an impact, too, picking off Jonathan Crompton in the second and third quarters and also making six tackles. He had what would have been his third interception of the day nullified by an offsides penalty in the final minute.
In the opener against San Diego State, Moore had just one tackle, along with a pass breakup. But his three interceptions tied a UCLA single-game record shared by three others. He was named the Walter Camp Foundation Defensive Player of the Week.
Moore Started All 12 Games as Freshman
Moore had just three interceptions through all of the 2008 season, but he established himself as a standout on a young UCLA squad.
A 6-foot-1, 195-pounder with 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash Moore became the first true freshman to start for the Bruins since 2001, and ended up starting all 12 games. He gained honorable mention in voting for the all-Pac-10 Conference team.
Moore ranked fourth on his team with 60 tackles, and also had four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. Moore had a career-high nine tackles vs. Cal, and managed eight vs. both Brigham Young and Southern Cal.
Of course, the Bruins expected big things out of Moore. A standout defensive back and receiver for Dorsey High in Los Angeles, Moore was rated as the nation's No. 2 recruit at safety by Scout.com. He had a total of 23 interceptions and 333 tackles over his final three seasons at Dorsey.
Being Overlooked Not New For Moore
There might have been more eyes on Berry than on Moore during Saturday's matchup, but that's not terribly new for the UCLA player.
For one, Moore plays in the same secondary as cornerback Alterraun Verner, an ESPN preseason All-American who had 73 tackles along with two interceptions and an incredible 18 pass breakups last season.
And Moore is not even the most well-known college free safety in Los Angeles. That distinction belongs to USC All-American Taylor Mays.
But with five interceptions in his team's first two games, Moore's nearly halfway to Carlton Gray's single-season record of 11 set in 1991. And he's starting to gain some notoriety of his own.
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