Ad Disclosure
Offensive lines never get enough credit for the work they do in the trenches, but thankfully, that’s starting to change as the Joe Moore Award was created to give the big uglies some level of respect.
If you aren’t familiar with the Joe Moore Award, it’s an honor given to college football’s best offensive line. It was named after famed Pitt and Notre Dame offensive line coach, Joe Moore.
The award was founded in 2015 and was given to LSU’s offensive line in 2019.
On Monday, the foundation announced the three finalists for the 2020 award: Alabama, Texas A&M and Notre Dame.
Here is the information provided by the Joe Moore Award regarding the three finalists for the award:
Alabama led by Coach Kyle Flood
-
Alabama’s starting offensive line has only allowed QB Mac Jones to be sacked eight times in 11 games on 377 drop backs, or one sack 47.1 drop backs, while Jones leads the nation in passing efficiency.
-
The Crimson Tide leads the nation in rushing touchdowns with 35 (3.2 per game) while ranking third in the SEC in rushing offense (189.8 ypg).
-
The Alabama offensive front has blocked for the nation’s top-ranked Power Five scoring offense (49.7 ppg), the No. 1 pass efficiency offense (197.5) and No. 5 total offense (543.9).
-
The Crimson Tide offensive line features leading candidates for the Outland Trophy (Alex Leatherwood) and Rimington Trophy (Landon Dickerson).
-
The veteran group boasts 121 career starts and their play has been the catalyst behind Alabama’s three Heisman Trophy candidates Najee Harris, Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith.
Texas A&M led by Coach Josh Henson
-
For the season, Texas A&M has given up 4.0 total sacks on the year and is allowing 0.44 sacks per game through nine games against only SEC opponents. The per-game average puts the Aggies in a tie for fourth nationally while standing atop the SEC.
-
A&M’s 0.44 sacks allowed per game average is the lowest season average by any Power 5 team since Minnesota allowed 0.25 per game in 2005.
-
The Maroon Goons went 24 quarters and 201 pass attempts without letting its opponent get to the quarterback. The streak spanned from the second quarter of the season opener against Vanderbilt until the third quarter of the LSU game.
-
The Goons are allowing just 3.78 tackles for loss per game, which ranks sixth nationally and leads the SEC.
-
At Auburn, the offensive line cleared the way for the Aggies to tally 313 yards on the ground, their highest single-game total of the season, as sophomore RB Isaiah Spiller recorded the 10th 100-yard game of his career and senior QB Kellen Mond became the second Aggie and fourth SEC QB to pass for 60 TDs and rush for 20 more in their careers.
-
The O-line allowed just 1.0 tackle for loss at Mississippi State, the program’s fewest since not allowing a TFL in the 16-10 road win over Colorado midway through the 1997 season.
-
The Aggies are averaging a robust 437.2 total yards/game and 6.4 yards/play.
-
What the committee is saying: “This year they’ve been the catalyst for an offense that has shown a new level of toughness. In the second half of the Florida game, they battered the Gators on the ground and have been able to finish the season with strong efforts on the ground. They are a physical unit who work well together and get up to the second level extremely well. Right tackle Carson Green has been exceptional at clearing out space for his runners, and their RG Kenyon Green has a chance to be special. The unquestioned key for their offensive success was the fact that their O-line was dominant most of the season.”
Notre Dame led by Coach Jeff Quinn
-
The Irish lead the ACC and rank ninth in the FBS in third down conversion percentage with a remarkable 49.3 success rate.
-
Four different Notre Dame offensive linemen have been rewarded for their stellar play by picking up ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors (RT Robert Hainsey, LT Liam Eichenberg, RG Aaron Banks, LG Tommy Kraemer), while left tackle Liam Eichenberg has been honored twice. Out of 10 regular season games, the Irish offensive line has been honored following five games.
-
The Irish rank third in the ACC and 21st nationally in rushing offense (217.6 ypg).
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
