In 2008 the Sun Devil and Wildcat Athletic Departments -- led by Sports Information Directors Mark Brand (Arizona State) and Tom Duddleson (Arizona) agreed the Territorial Cup Player of the Game would be named the Bob Moran Player of the Game.
Bob "Coach" Moran covered ASU, UA and the Pac-12 for decades and in his honor, the best player in his favorite game is presented the award in his name.
READ MORE ABOUT BOB MORAN
--ASU/UA award to honor journalist Bob Moran (by Scott Bordow, East Valley Tribune/Jan. 21, 2008)
--How one-of-a-kind sportswriter Bob Moran became synonymous with the ASU-Arizona rivalry (by Doug Haller, The Athletic/Nov. 24, 2021)
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Darren Urban, Director, Editorial Content/Senior Writer, Arizona Cardinals
“Bob was a long established Tribune writer when I joined the newspaper in 1994 to cover high schools. Six years later, I was covering the Cardinals and the NFL, and my desk was across from Coach. He was always a college football guy through and through, but he always gave me a boost – even when the team I was covering struggled mightily – by reminding me in only the way he could say it, ‘You’re covering the NATional FOOTball League!’ We had a hell of a staff for the ‘No. 2’ paper in town, and Bob was part of that foundation. I miss him all the time.”
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Craig Morgan, Senior Writer, PHNX Sports
"I worked with Bob for 15 years at the East Valley Tribune. In that span, he became one of my
greatest mentors. Honorable, personable and diligent, Bob had an impressive web of sources who provided him information because they trusted him, they respected his approach to the job and they flat-out liked him. There are so many Bob Moran lessons and humorous phrases that I carry with me today, and pass on to the next generation of sports journalists. I miss him terribly."
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Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune, 1995-2008
“Bob Moran’s passion about his job was a product of the sports, not the teams, he covered. Sitting near him in the press box, you could sense the irritation in his voice when he felt the game wasn’t being played or coached right. And in those moments when college football revealed itself as the big, beautiful Saturday gift we all share, his excitement and joy were infectious. Yes, he loved the games, but Bob was a journalist first: When it was time to tell readers what they needed to know, few did it better. It made him an Arizona sports media institution and a tough act — but a smart example — to follow on the ASU beat.” — Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune, 1995-2008
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Scott Bordow, ASU News Senior Writer (East Valley Tribune, 1987-2004)
"Cover a game with Bob and you'd always hear, "Someone's got to be a hero," or "you got to be sound in the kicking game." What always struck me about Bob was how much he loved the sport he was covering, especially college football. One year we drove to Tucson together for the ASU-Arizona game and instead of listening to music he played an audio of Billy Cannon's famous punt return TD for LSU against Mississippi in 1959. He truly was one-of-a-kind, completely secure in who he was. We should all be so fortunate. I'm not sure I ever met another reporter who knew as much about the team he covered as Bob knew about ASU football. Because he was so well respected by coaches, players, boosters, administrators, etc. he had an unending fountain of sources. He was, and I say this with great respect, a reporter's reporter."
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Jerry Brown, East Valley Tribune
'I sat next to Coach for more than a decade at the Tribune. The loud and jovial Bob was wonderful but the quiet confidant Bob was even better. When you got a compliment on a story or a funny line in a column, you treasured it because he didn’t give them out recklessly. And when he offered advice or a word of caution - looking off to the side and right at you at the same time - was doubly important because it was coming from Coach."
BOB MORAN PLAYER OF THE GAME
Bob "Coach" Moran covered ASU, UA and the Pac-12 for decades and in his honor, the best player in his favorite game is presented the award in his name.
READ MORE ABOUT BOB MORAN
--ASU/UA award to honor journalist Bob Moran (by Scott Bordow, East Valley Tribune/Jan. 21, 2008)
--How one-of-a-kind sportswriter Bob Moran became synonymous with the ASU-Arizona rivalry (by Doug Haller, The Athletic/Nov. 24, 2021)
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Bob Romantic, Executive Director, GCU Office of Communications and Public Relations
"I worked with “Coach” starting in 1998 at the East Valley Tribune when I was copy desk chief and later sports editor. When Bob started talking about college sports, or just life in general, his passion and charisma made it feel like you were listening to a sermon that lit up the entire room. Enunciating his words to make his point, Bob’s honesty, infectious laugh and genuine personality made everyone around him feel comfortable. I never knew a person who didn't get along with Bob."Bob Romantic, Executive Director, GCU Office of Communications and Public Relations
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Darren Urban, Director, Editorial Content/Senior Writer, Arizona Cardinals
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Craig Morgan, Senior Writer, PHNX Sports
"I worked with Bob for 15 years at the East Valley Tribune. In that span, he became one of my
greatest mentors. Honorable, personable and diligent, Bob had an impressive web of sources who provided him information because they trusted him, they respected his approach to the job and they flat-out liked him. There are so many Bob Moran lessons and humorous phrases that I carry with me today, and pass on to the next generation of sports journalists. I miss him terribly."
----
Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune, 1995-2008
“Bob Moran’s passion about his job was a product of the sports, not the teams, he covered. Sitting near him in the press box, you could sense the irritation in his voice when he felt the game wasn’t being played or coached right. And in those moments when college football revealed itself as the big, beautiful Saturday gift we all share, his excitement and joy were infectious. Yes, he loved the games, but Bob was a journalist first: When it was time to tell readers what they needed to know, few did it better. It made him an Arizona sports media institution and a tough act — but a smart example — to follow on the ASU beat.” — Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune, 1995-2008
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Scott Bordow, ASU News Senior Writer (East Valley Tribune, 1987-2004)
"Cover a game with Bob and you'd always hear, "Someone's got to be a hero," or "you got to be sound in the kicking game." What always struck me about Bob was how much he loved the sport he was covering, especially college football. One year we drove to Tucson together for the ASU-Arizona game and instead of listening to music he played an audio of Billy Cannon's famous punt return TD for LSU against Mississippi in 1959. He truly was one-of-a-kind, completely secure in who he was. We should all be so fortunate. I'm not sure I ever met another reporter who knew as much about the team he covered as Bob knew about ASU football. Because he was so well respected by coaches, players, boosters, administrators, etc. he had an unending fountain of sources. He was, and I say this with great respect, a reporter's reporter."
----
Jerry Brown, East Valley Tribune
'I sat next to Coach for more than a decade at the Tribune. The loud and jovial Bob was wonderful but the quiet confidant Bob was even better. When you got a compliment on a story or a funny line in a column, you treasured it because he didn’t give them out recklessly. And when he offered advice or a word of caution - looking off to the side and right at you at the same time - was doubly important because it was coming from Coach."
BOB MORAN PLAYER OF THE GAME
2024: Cam Skatteboo, ASU
2023: Noah Fifita, UA
2022: Michael Wiley, UA
2021: Jack Jones, ASU
2020: Rachaad White, ASU
2019: Eno Benjamin, ASU
2018: Eno Benjamin, ASU
2017: Demario Richard, ASU
2016: Brandon Dawkins, UA
2015: Devin Lucien, ASU
2014: Nick Wilson, UA
2013: D.J. Foster, ASU
2012: Marion Grice, ASU
2011: Nick Foles, UA
2010: Brock Osweiler, ASU
2009: Keola Antolin, UA
2008: Mike Thomas, UA
2007: Mike Marquardt, ASU
2006: Ryan Torain, ASU
2005: Terry Richardson, ASU
2004: Richard Kovalcheck, UA
2003: Andrew Walter and Loren Wade, ASU
2002: Mike Williams, ASU
2001: Bobby Wade, UA
2023: Noah Fifita, UA
2022: Michael Wiley, UA
2021: Jack Jones, ASU
2020: Rachaad White, ASU
2019: Eno Benjamin, ASU
2018: Eno Benjamin, ASU
2017: Demario Richard, ASU
2016: Brandon Dawkins, UA
2015: Devin Lucien, ASU
2014: Nick Wilson, UA
2013: D.J. Foster, ASU
2012: Marion Grice, ASU
2011: Nick Foles, UA
2010: Brock Osweiler, ASU
2009: Keola Antolin, UA
2008: Mike Thomas, UA
2007: Mike Marquardt, ASU
2006: Ryan Torain, ASU
2005: Terry Richardson, ASU
2004: Richard Kovalcheck, UA
2003: Andrew Walter and Loren Wade, ASU
2002: Mike Williams, ASU
2001: Bobby Wade, UA