Twenty-Two O-line Units Gain Attention of Voting Committee

NEW YORK (Oct. 10, 2024) — The Foundation for Teamwork, which has presented the Joe Moore Award for the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football since 2015, today announced the twenty-two members of its 2024 Midseason Honor Roll.

Earning a spot on this year’s Midseason Honor Roll are the O-lines of #7 Alabama, Army, #10 Clemson, Iowa, #18 Kansas State, Louisiana, #13 LSU, #6 Miami, #24 Michigan, Navy, #2 Ohio State, #3 Oregon, #4 Penn State, Rutgers, #25 SMU, #8 Tennessee, #1 Texas, Texas Tech, UConn, UNLV, Western Michigan, and West Virginia. 

This year’s Midseason Honor Roll members represent eight conferences and one independent (in alphabetical order): AAC (2), ACC (3), BIG TEN (6), BIG-12 (3), MAC (1) MWC (1), SEC 4), SUN BELT (1), and UConn. For games played through Oct. 5, 2024, these teams boast a combined record of 94-19, including nine undefeated squads, thirteen ranked teams overall, and eight teams ranked in the Top 10.*

These units have gained the attention of the Joe Moore Award voting committee as it moves closer to announcing the selection of its  Semifinalists on Nov. 12, 2024 and its Finalists on Dec. 3, 2024. Selection of the 2024 Joe Moore Award Winner will be made public after the award’s annual surprise visit to the winning university’s campus, which will likely be in late December.

“The O-line position takes time to gel, and units are finding their rhythm later in the season than we’ve ever seen,” said Cole Cubelic, lead analyst for the SEC Network. “More teams are showing flashes of physicality and excellence, but the consistency of play has been more uneven than we’re used to seeing at this point.” Cubelic, who played center at Auburn from 1996-2001, added, “It’s something to watch moving forward, especially with depth likely being tested like never before due to the extended postseason and the impact of the portal and roster turnover.”

“It’s great to see physicality making a comeback across all levels of football, especially after years of offenses focusing on space and speed,” said Lance Zierlein, NFL Draft Analyst for NFL.com. “While the results vary, more O-lines are getting downhill and playing with a renewed sense of aggression—a welcome return for some programs that had gotten away from it.”

“One of the early takeaways this season is that many O-line units are still working on how to operate as one and see the game through the same set of eyes,” said Brandon Thorn, editor of Trench Warfare, one of the most respected newsletters focusing on offensive and defensive line play. “We’re seeing too many cases where you’ll get great combo blocks or double teams on one side, but missed assignments or mistakes on the other, that derail the entire play.” Thorn, whose Trench Warfare has earned acclaim from NFL scouts, analysts, and college coaches, added, “I think part of this is due to it still being early in the season, but the influx of transfers and conference realignment has likely made it even harder for units to get on the same page as quickly as we’re used to seeing.” 

“Each unit of this year’s Midseason Honor Roll has earned the right to be recognized for displaying the award criteria in a variety of ways that embody the essence of our position,” said Aaron Taylor, CBS college football analyst and founder of the Joe Moore Award. Taylor played guard at the University of Notre Dame for the award’s namesake, the legendary offensive line coach Joe Moore. “As always, physicality, finishing, and consistency in technique will likely be what elevates the units that do what it takes down the stretch to earn this award in the eyes of their peers.”

Units of Interest: 

In addition to the O-line units listed above, committee members also took note of the play and production of Boston College, Georgia Southern, Iowa State, Liberty, and UCF. 

Honor Roll Criteria and Selection Process

The Joe Moore Award voting committee judges solely on six criteria: toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and finishing. 

Evaluations for the Midseason Honor Roll were made exclusively through weekly review of actual game film, including offensive line coach-provided cut-ups. 

2024 Honor Roll at a Glance 

Alabama (4-1)

·         3.52 yards before contact per attempt, second best in the nation.

·          Led by LT Kadyn Proctor and Preseason AP first team All-American C Parker Brailsford, two of the twenty-two qualifying offensive linemen in the nation without a pressure allowed.

·         The Tide are one of three teams in the nation with multiple qualifying offensive-linemen without a pressure allowed this season.

·          Over 170 rush yards in four of five games this season.

Offensive line coach: Chris Kapilovic

Army (5-0)

• Averaging 361.2 rush yards per game, leads FBS by 60 yards per game.
• Average 3.79 yards before contact per rush, more than a quarter of a yard more per attempt than any other team.
• Tied for second in the nation with only one sack allowed.
• Only four penalties on the O-line, tied for the ninth fewest in FBS. No O-line penalties in either of their last two games.
• Same five starters in every game this season: LT Connor Finucane, LG Bill Katsigiannis, C Brady Small, RG Paolo Gennarelli, RT Lucas Scott.
• Have only allowed twelve tackles for loss on the season, second fewest in the FBS despite having the second highest number of rushing attempts (267).

Offensive line coach: Matt Drinkall

Clemson (4-1)

• O-line only has four penalties so far this season, tied for ninth fewest in the FBS.
• Rushing for 196.4 yards per game, third most in the ACC.
• 2.99 yards before contact per rush, sixth best in the nation and best in the ACC.
•  One of eight teams to have three games with at least 250 rush yards this season, two of which have come in conference play.

Offensive line coach: Matt Luke

Iowa (3-2)

• The Hawkeyes impressive O-line has gained 200 or more yards in four of the team’s five games.
•  Iowa’s O-line has allowed just eight sacks in five games. 
•  Iowa’s five starting lineman have combined to start 151 career games, including forty-four by Mason Richman and forty-one by Connor Colby.
•  Iowa’s rushing attack has 16 rushes of 25+ yards.

Offensive line coach: George Barnett

Kansas State (4-1)

• One of four teams to rush for at least 200 yards in every game this season.
• 267.5 rush yards per game against ranked opponents, highest average in the nation.
• Only four sacks allowed this season (three of which came in one game against #20 Arizona)
• 6.93 rush yards per attempt which is second in the FBS.

Offensive line coach: Conor Riley

Louisiana (4-1)

• OG Jax Harrington is one of just three qualifying offensive linemen in the nation who has not been beaten on a pass block this season.
• Held the ball for 41:35 last game vs Southern Miss, the seventh highest time of possession this season.
• The Ragin’ Cajuns are averaging 5.54 yards/rush, the second highest in the Sun Belt.

Offensive line coach: Steve Farmer

LSU (4-1)

• Allowed pressure on just 18.2% of drop backs, best in the SEC and fifth best in the FBS.
•  Just two sacks allowed this season for LSU, tied for the fourth fewest in the nation and the fewest in the SEC (next closest in the SEC has allowed five sacks).
•  One of three teams that has yet to allow a sack in a second half. 
• Sacked on just 1.0% of drop backs this season, third best rate in the nation.

Offensive line coach: Brad Davis

Miami (6-0)

• The Hurricanes rank #1 in the nation in total offense (583.8 yards per game).
• Miami’s offense ranks first in the ACC, first in Power 4 and second in the country in total scoring.
• Despite being the nation’s best passing offense, the Hurricanes still rank tenth in Power 4 and sixteenth in FBS in rushing yards per carry with 5.63 yards per carry. 
• The group is headlined by veterans, including sophomore right tackle Francis Mauigoa who has allowed zero sacks and one QB hit in 269 pass blocking snaps.

Offensive line coach: Alex Mirabal 

Michigan (4-2)

• The Wolverines have been running the ball well this season, especially the last four weeks when they have averaged 230 rush yards per game and rushed for nine rushing touchdowns. 
• Their twenty-two rush attempts on third and short this season are tied for seventh most in the FBS. 
• One of two teams in the Big Ten with multiple 350+ yard rushers.

Offensive line coach: Grant Newsome

Navy (5-0)

• Behind the impressive O-line, Navy’s offense has scored 218 points in the first-5 games of the year, which are six points more than the Midshipmen scored in all 12 games last year (212).
• Navy is averaging 295.6 rushing yards per game in 2024, the third-best average in the FBS and the program’s best since 2019 when it averaged a school-record 360.5 rushing yards per game.
• Navy is 18-18 in the red zone this year with all 18 scores resulting in touchdowns. Navy is the only team in the FBS that is perfect in the red zone with all scores resulting in a touchdown.
• Navy is first in the country in tackles for loss allowed (1.8) and tied for seventh in sacks allowed (0.60).

Offensive line coaches: Jay Guillermo and Tommy Laurendine

Ohio State (6-0)

• Ohio State’s offensive line is tied for eleventh nationally with just four sacks allowed this season.
• The Ohio State offensive line has protected its skill players so well that they’ve been tackled behind the line of scrimmage for a TFL only 13 times all season, third-fewest nationally.
• The five starters along the Ohio State offensive line have 113 career cumulative starts, including three players with at least 30 starts apiece.
• Ohio State is fourteenth nationally in rushing offense averaging 222.2 yards per game.
• The Buckeyes rushing attack averages the fifth-most yards per carry in the nation (6.24).

Offensive line coach: Justin Frye

Oregon (5-0)

• Have not allowed a sack in any of their last three games, which is the second longest active streak in the FBS. 
•  88.9% conversion percentage when running the ball on third and short, tied for the seventh best conversion rate in the nation. 
• Nishad Strother has just one pressure allowed and no sacks this season on 238 pass blocking snaps.

Offensive line coaches: A’lique Terry, Mike Cavanaugh, and Ryan Walk

Penn State (5-0)

• 34 pressures allowed this season, tied for seventh fewest in the FBS.
• Penn State has rushed for at least  220 rush yards in four of five games this season.
• 718 total yards vs Kent State were the most in a game by a Big Ten team this season. 

Offensive line coach: Phil Trautwein

Rutgers (4-1)

• The Scarlet Knights have only allowed eight sacks this season (tied for seventh in Big Ten), while having faced the 11th highest blitz rate in the nation on drop backs (36.7%).
• Rutgers averages 41.4 run attempts per game, most in the Big Ten.
• O-line paves the way for Kyle Monangai, the fifth leading rusher in the nation at 667 rush yards.
• Rutgers leads the Big Ten in average time of possession (32:35).

Offensive line coach: Pat Flaherty

SMU (5-1)

• The Mustangs are rushing for 203.0 rush yards per game (leads the ACC).
• Just six sacks allowed on the season which is third fewest in the ACC.
• All six sacks allowed this season came between two games when they allowed three sacks each vs BYU and Florida State.

Offensive line coach: Garin Justice

Tennessee (4-1)

• The Vols are rushing for an FBS-best 380.0 rush yards per game at home this season.
• At least 150 rush yards in every game this season.
• The average time to pressure allowed by Tennessee this season is 2.7 seconds, 13th best in the nation.
• Led by Preseason AP Second Team All-American Cooper Mays, who has allowed just one pressure on the year.

Offensive line coach: Glen Elarbee

Texas (5-0)

• The Longhorns only allow pressure on 20.8% of drop backs, the ninth best rate in the FBS.
• Only five sacks allowed this season, tied for second fewest in the FBS. 
• Texas is averaging 513.6 total yards per game, seventh most in the FBS despite playing two quarterbacks his season – one of whom is a freshman.
• Led by preseason AP First Team All-American Kelvin Banks Jr, who has allowed just one pressure this season.

Offensive line coach: Kyle Flood

Texas Tech (5-1)

• Average more time to pressure (2.7 seconds) than they average time to throw (2.54 seconds), one of seven teams in the nation to do so and the second highest differential in the FBS.
• 460.5 total yards per game, which is third in the BIG-12 despite Texas Tech being picked ninth in the preseason BIG-12 poll.
• 2.9% sack percentage allowed this season, fifth lowest in the BIG-12. 
• 22.9% pressure rate, third lowest in the BIG-12. 
• The O-line paves the way for Tahj Brooks who leads the BIG-12 and is fourth in the nation with 679 rush yards.

Offensive line coach: Clay McGuire

UConn (4-2)

• The Huskies only allow pressure on 22.7% of drop backs, the sixteenth best rate in the nation.
• Sacked on just 2.2% of drop backs this season, ninth best rate in the nation. 
• The Huskies O-line paves the way for Durrell Robinson, the leading freshman rusher in the nation at 421 yards and twenty rushing first downs.

Offensive line coach: Gordon Sammis

UNLV (4-1)

• 504 rush yards vs Utah Tech, the most rush yards any team has had in a game this season.
• Just six sacks allowed on the season (tied for fourth in MWC), made even more impressive by the fact that UNLV averages 13.5 air yards per pass attempt, which is third highest in the FBS. 
• Rebels are averaging 50.0 points per game in the two games since changing starters at quarterback.

Offensive line coach: Vance Vice

 West Virginia (3-2)

• 389 rush yds last week at Oklahoma State, seventh most by a team in any game this season and second most by a BIG-12 team.
• Only team with two different players in the Top 10 of BIG-12 rushing yardage.
• LT Wyatt Milum is one of just seven players in the nation with at least 100 pass block snaps and zero pressures allowed.

Offensive line coach: Matt Moore

Western Michigan (2-3)

• In their last three games, the Western Michigan offense is averaging 41.3 points per game, 485.3 yards per game, and 253.7 rush yards per game.
• Just 38 pressures allowed this season, tied for fourteenth fewest in the nation.

Offensive line coach: Trevor Mendelson

Voting Committee

The Joe Moore Award voting committee is composed of 14 individuals who are highly knowledgeable about offensive line play, including former linemen, coaches, talent evaluators and media analysts. This group conducts in-depth analysis by reviewing game tape every week of the season to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of overall O-line performance. 

The 2024 voting committee includes Charles Arbuckle (UCLA, Indianapolis Colts); Randy Cross (UCLA, San Francisco 49ers); Chairman Cole Cubelic (Auburn, SEC Network); Gerry DiNardo (Notre Dame, head coach at LSU); Mike Golic, Jr. (Notre Dame, Draft Kings and TNT Game Analyst); Greg Hudson (Joe Moore grad assistant, long time college coordinator); Eric Mac Lain (Clemson, studio analyst ACC Network); Trophy Guardian Duke Manyweather (Humboldt State, player and coach; founder of OL Masterminds); Geoff Schwartz (Oregon, Carolina Panthers); Steve Shankweiler (four decade O-line coach, ECU); Phil Steele (publisher of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, ESPN); Aaron Taylor (Notre Dame, Green Bay Packers); Brandon Thorn (editor of Trench Warfare); and Lance Zierlein (NFL draft analyst, NFL.com).

Looking Ahead 

After The Joe Moore Award Semifinalists and Finalists have been selected, a vote will be held to select the 2024 Winnerof the Joe Moore Award by a voting body of 200-plus members. This voting body includes all of the current O-line coaches at the Division I/FBS level, as well as former players, coaches, colleagues of Coach Moore and select, qualified media members.

In addition to reviewing game tape every week of the season, the Joe Moore Award voting committee will later go through each of the finalists’ season-long highlight reels and multiple back-to-back quarters of game film. 

Past Award Recipients

Past recipients of the Joe Moore Award include the offensive lines of the University of Alabama (2015), the University of Iowa (2016), the University of Notre Dame (2017), Oklahoma University (2018), LSU (2019), the University of Alabama (2020 – first repeat winner), The University of Michigan (2021 and 2022  – first back to back winner), and the University of Washington (2023).

About the Joe Moore Award

The Joe Moore Award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, most notably for his work at Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh. Coach Moore sent 52 players on to the NFL, including Bill Fralic, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert and others. The Joe Moore Award trophy, crafted by legendary sports sculptor Jerry McKenna, is the largest trophy in college football, standing at a height of 6 feet and weighing in at 800 pounds. The perpetual trophy is made available for display by the winning university until the conclusion of the following college football season. 

About The Foundation for Teamwork

The Foundation for Teamwork is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fostering teamwork in all societal endeavors and bring that spirit of collective achievement to athletics, education, and organizations. Find out more at joemooreaward.comand follow the Joe Moore Award on Twitter (@joemooreaward), Instagram (@joemooreaward), and Facebook (facebook.com/JoeMooreAward).

* Ranking based on AP Poll as of Oct. 6, 2024