Tag: Joe Moore Award

Michigan football wins Joe Moore Award for second-straight year

Best line in college football, confirmed. #GoBlue

They say the game of football is won in the trenches. And Michigan football has excelled on that front.

Last year, the Wolverines proved their mettle on the offensive line by winning the prestigious Joe Moore Award, given to the best unit in the country. With a Rimington Trophy and Outland Trophy award-winner in former transfer Olu Oluwatimi, the O-line was even better for Michigan football in 2022. The Wolverines were named Joe Moore Award finalists again, but had to battle Georgia, the other finalist, to take home the prize.

Turns out, they did. For the first time ever for any college football team, the maize and blue are back-to-back Joe Moore Award winners, matching their back-to-back Big Ten Championships.

We’ll find out in the College Football Playoff, starting with the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31 vs. TCU, and potentially in the national championship game on Jan. 9, 2023, whether or not said offensive line can propel the Wolverines to the best team in college football, period.

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Can Michigan football win a prestigious award for a second-straight year?

It should win. Again. #GoBlue

Michigan football is trying to run it back — both literally and figuratively.

The Wolverines won the Joe Moore Award last year, given to the nation’s best offensive line. Dare say, the offensive line in Ann Arbor may just be even better this year.

While Michigan has allowed 12 sacks through 10 games compared to 14 through 14 a year ago, the run game appears to be more productive this season. And it’s doing it in a year where everyone knows it’s going to run that much more than in 2021.

After losing Andrew Stueber and Andrew Vastardis from last year, Michigan reeled in Olu Oluwatimi, a Rimington Trophy finalist from Virginia in 2021, as its new center, while using both Trente Jones and Karsen Barnhart at right tackle. In turn, the line has been stellar, and is in the running for its second-straight Joe Moore Award, as it was announced on Twitter.

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Given how good the line has been, if the Wolverines could manage to win the next two games to finish out the regular season, there’s a good chance that the maize and blue could have the top-rated line for the second-straight year.

Not only that, but Michigan is in the running for the second-straight Broyles Award winner, as defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is a nominee for the award won by Josh Gattis a year ago.

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Arkansas among five SEC teams to make Joe Moore Award honor roll

Some praise for the offensive line is well earned.

The big boys upfront for the Arkansas Razorbacks is starting to garner some recognition. The Joe Moore Award given to the nation’s best offensive line announced its midseason honor roll. In all, 22 offensive line units were among the best in the nation. Five of those teams reside in the SEC, and three in the SEC West.

Offensive line coach Cody Kennedy, who is in his second year with the Razorbacks, was a semifinalist for the Broyles Award last season. His unit ranks second in the SEC with 240 yards per game. Arkansas ranks No. 11 in FBS. The offensive line has allowed 11 sacks this season and is No. 5 in the SEC in total offense.

The list of SEC teams on the Joe Moore Award midseason honor roll:

Four of the five teams are among the conference’s top five rushing offenses. The Bulldogs check in at No. 6 with 196.7 yards per game. More positive play from the guys on the offensive line can only result in more wins this season. Arkansas has started the same five in all seven of their games this season.

The next test will come against the Auburn Tigers on Oct. 29 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The running game should be geared up for this game given that the Tigers surrendered 448 yards on the ground to Ole Miss and 578 yards of total offense in that game.

Michigan State football offensive line named a semi-finalist for Joe Moore Award

Michigan State football offensive line named a semi-finalist for Joe Moore Award

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With some recent injuries and mysterious absences, Michigan State football’s offensive line has looked less than stellar of late, but that wasn’t the case this season, as MSU’s ‘juice squad’ helped catapult Kenneth Walker III into the Heisman conversation. Because of their efforts, the Spartans’ offensive line has been named a semi-finalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the Most Outstanding Offensive Line in college football.

Here are the rest of the nominees:

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Florida’s offensive line named to Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll

The Gators were named to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award, which is given to the nation’s best offensive line.

Since the 2019 season, Florida’s offensive line has been a bit of a limiting factor, especially when it came to run blocking. That’s why UF’s move to a more run-focused offense with Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson at quarterback was a bit striking: It was predicated on a level of offensive line play that hadn’t been present for a while.

Earlier in the season, however, things were going great. The Gators had the best non-service academy rushing attack in the nation, and the offensive line looked markedly improved. It’s likely for that reason that the group was named to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award on Tuesday.

The Joe Moore Award is given annually to the best offensive line in college football, and UF was one of 19 lines (six of which are in the SEC) to be named to the honor roll.

The Gators definitely have a stronger front than they had the last two seasons, but things still aren’t perfect, especially not in recent weeks. They’ve dealt with injuries to their two best starters in Ethan White and Richard Gouraige, and the results have been noticeable.

The line struggled a lot in the loss to Kentucky, and it didn’t play particularly well against a weak LSU front seven despite the offense putting up 42 points in a losing effort.

It’s hard to imagine that Florida is able to ultimately come away with the Joe Moore Award this season unless the line plays markedly better down the stretch, especially with the next game coming against one of the best college football defenses in a while in the Georgia Bulldogs.

UF’s offensive line play took a step forward this year, but it’s still not quite where it needs to be.

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Ohio State offensive line makes Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll

Some good recognition for the guys paving the way in the trenches!

You always had a pretty good feeling that Ohio State’s offensive line would be a really good one in 2021. It did lose a couple of key members, but the returning players still had plenty of experience and talent. It was really just a question of which five to play and what position they would slot in.

And while there may have been some hiccups along the way, the line has indeed been downright dominant at times. In fact, so far in 2021, the OSU buffet eaters have only given up eight sacks in six games, have kept freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud pretty clean so that he can carve up defenses, and have opened up enough lanes for freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson to lead the FBS in yards per carry.

Not too shabby.

Because of the production, the OSU offensive line was named to the Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll along with eighteen other teams. The award goes to the team judged to have the best offensive line in college football annually.

The rest of the teams can be seen below thanks to the announcement on Twitter.

There’s still half of a season to go, but so far so good for the guys wearing scarlet and gray in the trenches. If Ohio State is still going to meet some of those lofty goals it set for itself prior to the season, it’ll need this unit to continue to perform at a high, high level, especially with a back-loaded schedule that’s about to ramp up.

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Notre Dame Offensive Line Makes Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll

Losing starting center Jarrett Patterson for the season has forced Notre Dame to make changes to its offensive line.

Losing starting center Jarrett Patterson for the season has forced Notre Dame to make changes to its offensive line. However, contributions from Patterson and the rest of that unit have not been lost on people. The Irish’s O-line has been named to this year’s Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. The award, which the Irish won in 2017, goes to the “toughest, most physical offensive line in the country.”

This is the second season in a row that Notre Dame’s unit has been so honored. It’s one of the most seasoned in the country with 147 collective starts between Patterson, Robert Hainsey, Liam Eichenberg, Tommy Kraemer and Aaron Banks. Four of these five players have been named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week in 2020.

The Joe Moore Award is the only major college football award given to a group rather than an individual. If the Irish make the College Football Playoff, this unit will be a big reason why. Major props go to offensive line coach Jeff Quinn for keeping the group at the top of its game.

Why LSU guard Damien Lewis is good fit for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are a run-heavy, zone blocking offensive team, and LSU’s Damien Lewis is potentially the perfect fit at right guard.

The Seattle Seahawks made a point in free agency to bring in a new crop of offensive linemen, signing four new free agents while Germain Ifedi (Bears) and George Fant (Jets) signed elsewhere.

With Mike Iupati likely gone, and Justin Britt a potential cap casualty, this team may not be done shuffling things around in the trenches.

While the most pressing need is on the defensive line, the Seahawks will have their eye out for some big, run-blocking offensive linemen to pursue in the 2020 NFL draft, which is coming up in just two weeks.

One name to keep an eye on in LSU right guard Damien Lewis.

Lewis was second team All-SEC as a senior at LSU, helping the unit win the Joe Moore Award as the best OL in the country. He is a hulking presence who is known for his ability to move defenders backwards as a power run blocker.

Described as “a forklift dressed as a right guard” by NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein, Lewis would be an immediate fit on Seattle’s run-heavy offensive front, especially in zone blocking schemes.

However, Lewis is slow and heavy-footed in pass protection, and his lack of length limits him to just playing right guard at the next level, and really only in specific offensive sets.

That could work for the Seahawks though, especially if they decide to cut D.J. Fluker to save room against the salary cap.

Lewis could easily outperform his current draft stock, which has him as a third rounder in most mocks. He’d have his work cut out for him in Seattle’s crowded o-line room, but his skill set matches what the Seahawks need up front, and he’s a worthwhile selection on Day 2 of the NFL draft.

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Alabama Offensive Line one of four finalists for Joe Moore Award

On Tuesday, the Alabama Crimson Tide’s offensive line has been selected as one of the four finalists for the Joe Moore Award.

On Tuesday, the Alabama Crimson Tide’s offensive line has been selected as one of the four finalists for the Joe Moore Award. The Joe Moore Award is presented annually to the nation’s top offensive line unit, and is the only college football award to honor an entire unit.

Alabama’s offensive line has only allowed 12 sacks this season, which is currently ranked 5th in the nation. Alabama also ranks 2nd in the Nation for scoring, 3rd in passing, and 7th in total offense. Another statistic by the Championship Analytics (CAI) shares how the Crimson Tide also leads SEC and is 6th in the nation for having 45% of the team’s rushing attempts having 5+ yard gain or more.

The other finalists for the Joe Moore Award are: Ohio State, LSU, and Oregon.

Alabama won the first ever Joe Moore Award in 2015. The winner of the 2019 Joe Moore Award will be announced at the end of December.

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Ohio State offensive line semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award

The Ohio State offensive line has been named as one of ten semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award.

The Ohio State offensive line was just named one of ten semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award that goes to the best offensive line in college football annually. The award selects teams based on six criteria: Toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and finishing. It has been handed out since 2015.

There’s good reason for Ohio State’s big guys to be included. Despite the O-line being a serious question mark heading into the year because of some key departures, the unit has meshed well together and has instead been a strength of this team in 2019.

Behind the run-blocking and pass protection of the Buckeye offensive line, OSU is No. 4 in FBS in yards per game, No. 1 in offensive 3rd down conversion percentage, No. 1 in scoring offense, and No. 4 in total offense. And while quarterback Justin Fields has been sacked more times than anyone would like, it has more to do with his desire to keep plays alive.

In fact, one telling stat of how clean the pocket has been kept, Fields has only thrown one interception to 31 passing touchdowns. Quite remarkable really.

The other nine semifinalists include Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The finalists will be selected on December 10, and a winner selected shortly after.