After losing four offensive linemen to the NFL draft last year, Oklahoma’s offensive line unit, coached by Bill Bedenbaugh, has been named one of the final ten candidates for the Joe Moore Award.
Among the ten teams nominated for the best offensive line unit in the country are Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and the Sooners.
“There was healthy debate this year which required a thorough reexamination of game tape,” said Cole Cubelic, Chairman of the Joe Moore Award Voting Committee. “This award matters to the O-line community and the voting committee doesn’t take that responsibility lightly.”
Oklahoma’s current offensive line unit helps the team average a league-high 581.1 yards per game, as well as 8.75 yards per play. The next closest is LSU at 7.64. Center Creed Humphrey is the only returning starter from last season, as Tyrese Robinson, Adrian Ealy, R.J. Proctor, Marquis Hayes and Erik Swenson have all gotten valuable minutes in this year.
“As the season winds down, performances in the ‘gotta have it’ moments over the next couple of weeks should reveal all we need to know about which of these units is the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in college football.” Said Aaron Taylor, co-founder of the Joe Moore Award.
The Sooners “gotta have it” moment could have very well been their 25-point comeback win over Baylor, when the offensive unit gained 525 yards, a majority of which came in the second half.
The finalists for the award with be announced on December 10, and the winner will be made public with a visit to the winning campus’s university.