Sophomore business major Jordan Moore can define himself in many ways.

For one thing, he’s a track runner. He holds the Big 12 Championship title and school record in 60-meter hurdles.

He’s a TCU football player, adjusting to a new position on the team as wide receiver. He’s also a singer, pianist and drummer.

In the midst of track, football, music and classes, there’s one thing that permeates every aspect of Moore’s life: his faith in Jesus Christ.

“That’s the source of all who he is,” Chauncey Franks, a life and character coach for TCU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, said.

“It’s bigger than just a religion,” Moore said. “It’s about the relationship, and once you have the relationship with Him, nothing can stand in the way of that.”

Track head coach Darryl Anderson said Moore isn’t the type of person who would force what he believes onto his teammates, either.

But when Moore does start talking about his faith, he “starts becoming like a preacher,” track and football teammate Kolby Listenbee said.

“It’s crazy seeing a person of our age being that passionate,” Listenbee said.

Balancing two sports on top of academics may seem overwhelming, but Moore said his faith keeps him grounded.

“I go out there because I know He’s watching over me,” Moore said. “And once I know that, I know I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”

Jumping over hurdles

The day after Moore claimed the 2014 Big 12 title in 60-meter hurdles, he tweeted a picture of himself beaming with a smile, holding up the number one with one hand and clutching his championship medal with the other.

Moore captioned the photo with the hashtags #blessed and #achievement.

#blessed #achievement pic.twitter.com/PtpYhP4tVI

— Jordan Moore (@JMOIAM) March 3, 2014

But Moore knows he can’t stay on top forever. When he returned to the 60-meter hurdles for the NCAA Indoor Championships, he was determined to claim another title.

Instead, he placed 11th.

“It was kind of like the balloon being deflated,” Anderson said.

Anderson said Moore took the NCAA meet as a moment to learn.

“I explained to him, ‘Hey, the next time you get to the NCAA meet, you’ll be better off. You’ll be better because of this,’” Anderson said.

Moore can’t escape the reality of defeat, but he said that’s when his faith kicks in.

“When you get weak, you’ve got somebody that you can depend on, somebody that you can call on, somebody that you can feel within—that connection,” Moore said.

A week after the NCAA meet, Moore would claim first place once again, this time at 110-meter hurdles at the TCU Invitational.

While Moore said he loves to run track, he loves football even more.

Beyond physical ability

Wide receiver is Moore’s fourth position on the football team. Moore entered TCU as a safety, changed to linebacker, then switched to running back toward the end of the 2012 season.

After recovering from a torn ACL, he returned for the 2013 season and finished with 20 carries for 87 yards, as well as his first touchdown in the season’s final game against Baylor.

“I haven’t liked going through a lot of positions,” Moore said, “but I still feel like God has a plan at the end of the day.”

The 2013 season wasn’t entirely rosy, as the Horned Frogs’ 4-8 finish kept them from a bowl game.

Moore said fans don’t understand the hard work the team puts in behind the scenes, but he also understands why they can be critical.

“They pay their money to go to the game,” Moore said. “It’s just our blood, sweat and tears that are put into that game. Maybe we need to put some more blood, sweat and tears.”

Moore said he likes the direction the offense is going with new offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie, who are “not afraid to take risks.”

While he believes in his team’s ability, Moore said faith in God can make an impact as well.

“Once everybody understands who He is and who He is to them, and you can’t rely on yourself, our team, I promise you, our team will go to levels that people counted us out,” Moore said.

The ‘song bird’

When Moore isn’t playing football, running track or studying, he’ll be at the piano, improvising a tune.

He’ll even lead his FCA group in a song at pre-game chapel.

“We call him our ‘song bird,’” Franks said.

Moore said he may “eventually” pursue music if he does not enter the NFL or business field.

Listenbee said he can picture Moore playing in the NFL, running in the Olympics or singing at a jazz club.

But for Moore, it really doesn’t matter.

“I’m not done writing on the canvas of my life,” Moore said.

And, according to Moore, “the ink on the canvas” is Jesus.