Teamwork, Physicality, Athleticism, and Finishing Impressed Voters
TUSCALOOSA, AL (Jan. 4, 2021) — The Foundation for Teamwork announced today that the University of Alabama’s offensive line is the recipient of the 2020 Joe Moore Award (JMA) for Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football. In a surprise, virtual presentation in the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility on the Crimson Tide campus, the offensive line was presented with the only award in college football that celebrates a group or unit. Alabama previously won the Joe Moore Award in its inaugural year in 2015, making the Crimson Tide the first ever two-time recipient of this prestigious award.
“I believe most former collegiate offensive lineman like myself entered this season with very low expectations of what we would see at the line of scrimmage,” said Cole Cubelic, lead sideline analyst for the SEC Network and Chairman of the Joe Moore Award voting committee. “With no spring practice, very limited weight room access & distanced coaching, it just did not seem possible that anyone would be able to separate themselves from the pack. We were wrong. One group stood out as the most physically imposing O-line unit across college football, and it was Alabama. It was a joy to watch the way this group engaged combo blocks, helped one another in pass protection, made sure to find contact down field…and most important of all, finished.”
“This unit does an excellent job from guard to guard of working double teams hip-to-hip and with consistent footwork,” said Lance Zierlein, NFL draft analyst and member of the Joe Moore Award voting committee since 2015. “Their hand placement is generally good and it’s a unit that plays with a combination of strain and rhythm so that they can succeed in a number of blocking schemes. They gave their quarterback tons of time to throw the football and helped to impose the will of the running game on opponents.”
Alabama's starting O-line has featured senior left tackle Alex Leatherwood (12 starts), redshirt senior left guard Deonte Brown (12 starts), redshirt senior center Landon Dickerson (12 starts), redshirt sophomore Emil Ekiyor Jr. (12 starts) and sophomore right tackle Evan Neal (11 starts). Redshirt senior Chris Owens has one start at center and one start at right tackle.
What Head Coach Nick Saban Had to Say:
“I think this is one of the awards that I really cherish the most because it’s one of the few that honor a group of players, and the offensive line is a special group of guys,” Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said on his weekly coach’s show Hey Coach on Dec. 10. “They all seem to have similar personalities. They all have the same kind of competitive characteristics. Probably play more together as a unit and as a group in terms of how they communicate, how they combination block and all those things more than any other group in football. I think this is a tremendous thing that you continue to do in Joe Moore’s honor because it does mean a lot to our group, who has won it before.”
“In what proved to be one of the most unique and challenging seasons in college football history, Alabama’s O-line unit convincingly separated itself in the eyes of the voters by their effort and strain in the run game, and regularly demonstrating that pass protection is not passive in the throw game,” said Aaron Taylor, CBS college football analyst and co-founder of the Joe Moore Award. Taylor played guard and tackle at the University of Notre Dame for the Award’s namesake, the legendary offensive line coach Joe Moore. “What they have accomplished so far at the line of scrimmage has been nothing short of extraordinary, but they would be the first to tell you that the story of this 2020 Crimson Tide team is not yet over.”
2020 Joe Moore Award Winner at a Glance
Alabama (12-0)
Alabama’s starting offensive line has only allowed QB Mac Jones to be sacked nine times in 12 games on 379 drop backs, or one sack 42.1 drop backs, while Jones leads the nation in passing efficiency (203.0).
The Crimson Tide ranks second nationally in rushing touchdowns with 35 (2.92 per game) while ranking fourth in the SEC in rushing offense (185.7 ypg).
The Alabama offensive front has blocked for the nation’s top-ranked Power Five scoring offense (48.2 ppg), the No. 1 pass efficiency offense (198.48) and No. 5 total offense (535.0).
The Crimson Tide offensive line features consensus All-Americans and leading candidates for the Outland Trophy (Alex Leatherwood) and Rimington Trophy (Landon Dickerson).
The veteran group boasts 126 career starts and their play has been the catalyst behind Alabama’s three Heisman Trophy candidates Najee Harris, Mac Jones, and DeVonta Smith.
Offensive line coach: Kyle Flood
What Voters Said
“Once again, Alabama’s offensive line is the ideal combination of size, strength and technique. They play with consistency and do a nice job of working their double teams on zone concepts and battling with strain on single blocks. This is a group that functions very well together at a very high level. They are constantly looking to be great beyond what was asked on any given play.”
“A great combo of athleticism and power. Their attitude as “tone setters” clearly shined through. It was also pretty clear in the “gotta have it” situations, that [offensive coordinator and play caller Steve] Sarkisian had a ton of confidence in this group. They were at their best when their best was needed, and that’s what this award is about.”
“This group was outstanding all season long. Technically and fundamentally sound. It’s impossible to be naturally good at fundamentals…so it has to be coached into them and it's clear [offensive line coach] Kyle Flood did an incredible job with this group, tackle to tackle.”
“As a group, we believe there are three phases of a block (contact power/pop, sustain and strain, and the finish), and players must win two of those three phases on each play to be successful. Alabama was good in all three phases most of the time, regardless of scheme or opponent, which is all the more impressive given the conference only schedule and unique practice . ”
“Consistently finished their blocks. Always looking for work, especially on second level blocks which sprung many of the big runs. Pretty impressive how well these dudes moved in space on perimeter plays, often finding success versus more athletic players.”
“Their ability to ‘sort through the trash’ was impressive versus movement (stunts or blitzes). I felt like they exemplified the teamwork criteria extremely well, seeing things through one pair of eyes. Play side double teams were clinic worthy at times as they regularly displaced some of the bigger defensive lineman in the most physical league in college football, which is not easy to do. No question that they were the best unit, tackle to tackle in 2020.”
“They were good out of the gate and got better by the week. Center Landon Dickerson was their enforcer. He definitely set the tone, but not the only one to do so. Their LT liked to mix it up as well. Physical group that looked to impose their will on opponents.”
The Foundation for Teamwork and Alabama Team Up to Support Academic Achievement
The Foundation for Teamwork is pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural "Teamwork Pledge”, a philanthropic initiative that will provide funding and other support to impact the academic achievement of underserved youth within the geographic footprint of the college that is awarded the Joe Moore Award.
The University of Alabama will work collaboratively with the Foundation for Teamwork (home of the Joe Moore Award) to identify high areas of need within the state of Alabama in an effort to promote the values of teamwork and team culture to reduce existing inequities and better position underserved students to thrive in the future. "The Teamwork Pledge" is derived directly from the Joe Moore Award principle and O-line mantra: "I Am Because Of Us.”
Looking Ahead
No. 1 Alabama will make its 73rd post season appearance when it takes on No. 3 Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship in the Orange Bowl on Jan 11th at 8pm ET.
Award Criteria and Selection Process
The Joe Moore Award voting committee judges solely on six criteria: toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing.
Evaluations were made through weekly review of actual game film and offensive line coach-provided cut-ups on the. The voting committee also went through each of the finalists’ season-long, situational highlight reels and multiple back-to-back quarters of game film.
The 13-member Joe Moore Award voting committee selected a midseason honor roll in November 2020, followed by selection of semifinalists in and finalists in mid December. After the regular season, a voting body of 200-plus members selected the 2020 winner of the Joe Moore Award. This voting body includes all of the current offensive line coaches at the Division I/FBS level, as well as former players, coaches, colleagues of Coach Moore, select media members and the Joe Moore Award voting committee.
Voting Committee
The Joe Moore Award voting committee is comprised of 13 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 2020 voting committee includes Chairman Cole Cubelic (Auburn, SEC Network); Charles Arbuckle (UCLA, Indianapolis Colts); Randy Cross (UCLA, San Francisco 49ers); Gerry DiNardo (Notre Dame, head coach at LSU); Mike Golic, Jr. (Notre Dame, ESPN); Dave Harding (Duke, Blue Devil Network); Barrett Jones (Alabama, St. Louis Rams); Duke Manyweather (Humboldt State, player and coach; founder of OL Masterminds); Geoff Schwartz (Oregon, Carolina Panthers); Sam Schwartzstein (Stanford, XFL rules creator); Phil Steele (publisher of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, ESPN); Aaron Taylor (Notre Dame, Green Bay Packers); and Lance Zierlein (NFL draft analyst, NFL.com).
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), the University of Oklahoma (2018), and LSU (2019).
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.com and follow the Joe Moore Award on Twitter (@joemooreaward), Instagram (@joemooreaward), and Facebook (facebook.com/JoeMooreAward).
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