Ex-Wake Forest star trying to catch on with Panthers

[Rod Butsecks]

(By David Scott, [email protected]) p/ Kenneth Moore jumps from one position to another at Carolina Panthers training camp./pp/First, he practices with the receivers. Then, when it's time for the special teams to work, he goes with them./pp/There's little rest for Moore in the Spartanburg heat. /pp/ldquo;Ah, that's really nothing I'm not used to,rdquo; Moore says with a shrug, recalling the days when he excelled at several positions at Butler High and Wake Forest. ldquo;I've been doing all this since I've been playing football. It's not overly complicated for me.rdquo;/pp/Moore was able to display that versatility Saturday in front of friends and family at the Panthers' Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium. It's the same stadium where he watched Panthers games as a kid, the same field where he tore through Connecticut's defense on his way to most-valuable-player honors for Wake Forest in the 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl./pp/Now, he's trying to win a job so he can play there professionally./pp/He's got plenty of competition./pp/Moore isn't the only multi-tasker hoping to make the roster as a receiver and return man. Ryne Robinson and Jason Carter also fit in that category, and rookie running back Mike Goodson (an excellent receiver who's certain to make the team) can also play more than one position./pp/The team's top three receiver positions are sewn up by Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad and Dwayne Jarrett. The fourth spot seems to be up for grabs between Moore, Robinson and Carter./pp/ldquo;I'm just trying to fit in,rdquo; said Moore. ldquo;The only (receivers) who have played for us in this scheme are Steve, Moose and Dwayne. So I think I can work hard and fight for that fourth position ndash; or third, fifth, sixth, whatever.rdquo;/pp/Moore, Robinson and Carter ndash; along with rookies Goodson and Larry Beavers ndash; are also in the mix for both returner spots, which were vacated when Mark Jones signed with the Tennessee Titans in the offseason./pp/Moore spent much of the summer in the Triad area ndash; catching passes from Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner and working out with former Deacons and Panthers receiver Ricky Proehl at Proehl's sports and fitness center in Greensboro./pp/ldquo;That was a great experience,rdquo; said Moore. ldquo;Any time you can work with a guy who's been in the (NFL) for 17 years, it's going to help. He's a great teacher. And us Wake Forest guys have to stick together.rdquo;/pp/Proehl liked what he saw in Moore./pp/ldquo;He worked his tail off,rdquo; said Proehl, who caught 86 passes for the Panthers from 2003 to 2005. ldquo;He's got a great feel for the game, runs really good routes and has great hands./pp/ldquo;We worked a lot on staying low, on making cuts, footwork and running precise routes.rdquo;/pp/Playing more than one position isn't new to Moore. At Wake Forest, he did a bit of everything in a big way, gaining 2,944 all-purpose yards in his career. He was one the ACC's more dangerous kick and punt returners and his 1,011 yards receiving as a senior is the second highest single-season total in Deacons history behind Proehl's 1,053 in 1989./pp/As a junior in 2006, Moore filled in at running back when injuries struck, gaining 507 yards and helping Wake Forest to the ACC championship and a berth in the Orange Bowl./pp/Moore's smallish size ndash; he's 5-foot-11, 192 pounds ndash; probably hurt his chances in the 2008 NFL draft, when he was taken in the fifth round by the Detroit Lions./pp/After beginning the season on the Lions' practice squad, the Panthers picked him up in October. Moore spent the rest of the season on the Panthers' roster, although he was inactive for those 11 games./pp/ldquo;The thing I like best about Kenny is that he's not afraid to fail,rdquo; said Proehl. ldquo;He wants to learn and he's respectful of the game. There are a lot of egos out there and he's avoiding that.rdquo;/pp/Moore recently bought a house in Charlotte, moving out of his parents' home where he'd been since last fall./pp/ldquo;I'm getting used to my new place,rdquo; Moore said. ldquo;But I might cheat a little, and go back and get some of my mom's cooking.rdquo;/pp/Now, though, Moore is thinking mostly about taking advantage of every chance he gets with the Panthers./pp/ldquo;You get the ball in your hands,rdquo; said Moore, ldquo;and you do what you need to do.rdquo; /p

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[CharlotteBeer.com]

I guess Moore's direct competition is Carter and Robinson. I think he has an advantage over Carter due to his return abilities, but I don't know if he's good enough to beat out Robinson. I suppose you've got to throw Beavers in there as well.

Many of these guys still have to prove themselves in the NFL, but I think we've got great depth at receiver. However it ends up shaking out, I think we'll have a great group of receivers to work with.

[Davidson Deac II]

I hope Moore makes it. He definitely has the right attitude.

[Cyclonus]

Seriously man, can you edit out all the bullshit when you post these articles.