Army, Oregon, and Texas Impress Committee with Consistency, Resilience, and Physicality
NEW YORK – December 3, 2024 — The Foundation for Teamwork and the Joe Moore Award have unveiled the 2024 Finalists for college football's Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit.
The O-lines of #24 Army, #1 Oregon, and #2 Texas earned finalist spots after a rigorous evaluation of their physicality, execution, and impact on their teams’ success.*
Since 2015, the Joe Moore Award has recognized and celebrated offensive lines that exemplify the ultimate blend of toughness, teamwork, effort, consistency, technique, and a relentless drive to dominate at the line of scrimmage. The Joe Moore Award extends its gratitude to its esteemed Voting Committee and to DonJoy® for their steadfast support of the award and its mission.
“This year, inconsistency was the theme across college football, and offensive lines were no exception,” said Aaron Taylor, CBS college football analyst and co-founder of the Joe Moore Award. Taylor, who played guard at Notre Dame for the award’s namesake, legendary coach Joe Moore, added: “That made our evaluations especially tough—even contentious at times—as we debated how to weigh consistency, inconsistency, fundamentals, technique, raw talent, level of competition, and offensive schemes. Ultimately, it sparked one of the most spirited discussions in Joe Moore Award history, forcing us - individually and collectively - to defend and define what truly sets the best apart.”
“The semifinalists for The Joe Moore Award represent excellence in college football, embodying the spirit of resilience and the importance of teamwork in achieving shared goals,” said Terry Ross, Group President of Enovis Prevention & Recovery. “DonJoy is honored to partner with The Joe Moore Award, providing cutting-edge technology that protects players, enabling them to perform at their peak. We are in this together, protecting the trenches.”
What We Believe
The best O-lines consistently attack base defenses, secure the line of scrimmage (LOS) against blitzes, and aim to move, punish, and break the will of the men they block at every opportunity. Coach Joe Moore built his lines with this philosophy, emphasizing fundamentals and technique to give the offense the best chance for success—both in a single game and throughout the season.
The ability to use leverage and leg drive to create space for the running back, while giving the quarterback a clean pocket for protection, exemplifies the execution, technique, and effort we look for. Efficient sets and proper hand usage are critical elements of pass protection. While some blocks are tougher than others, when an offensive line has a good, fair look—whether in the run game or pass protection—we expect the best to take full advantage of it, consistently.
When there are double teams, we should see blockers move defenders off the LOS, which is one of the reasons Joe always spent a lot of time on them and emphasized and prioritized them in preparation.
Against base, four-man rushes and twists, we expect to see teamwork that secures the pocket.
When defenses load up to stop an offensive line, creating tougher looks, it’s a sign of respect— a recognition that the O-lines has the potential to take over the game. Earning that respect demands consistent physicality, and high-quality execution.
The O-line cannot control play calls, QB performance, TE blocking, RB decisions, defensive schemes, or their own defense’s effectiveness. These elements, when lacking, can overshadow a line that is performing at a high level. That’s why we rely solely on film study to evaluate and compare the similar opportunities where the O-line can truly impose their will on a defense – and become the reason for their offense’s success, not an excuse for its struggles.
2024 Finalists at a Glance
Army (10-1)
● Army leads the nation in rush yards per game (312.56)
● Army has gained an average of 5.7 yards per rush (6th in FBS).
● Army averages 312.6 rush yds per game, leading the FBS by more than 53 yards per game.
● The Black Knights O-line paved the way for an incredible 2.88 yards before contact per rush (3rd in FBS).
● 50.2% of Army’s rush yds come before contact (6th highest in FBS).
● Only 13% of runs see contact at or behind the line of scrimmage (lowest rate in FBS).
● The Black Knights have only allowed 6 sacks, tied for 2nd-fewest in FBS despite seeing the highest blitz rate on drop backs (64.8%).
● The Black Knights have used the same five starters in every game this season: LT Connor Finucane, LG Bill Katsigiannis, C Brady Small, RG Paolo Gennarelli, RT Lucas Scott.
● Army has only allowed 34 TFL on the season, fewest in the FBS despite having the 2ndhighest number of rushing attempts (604).
● Alley Fight: Army’s O-line led the way to an impressive 5.4 yds/rush against 8+ defenders in the box (2nd best in FBS).
What the committee is saying:
● “The most consistent and physical unit I saw all season. Very similar to the 2021 Air Force unit that pummelled people. Their effort level and strain is unparalleled in college football this year.”
● “Opposite of some of the Power 5 blue bloods in physical make-up. Do not have the size and talent of their opponents. They work themselves to be their best, over years of hard work, and it came together beautifully for them this year..”
● “This group plays together and demonstrates what it means to be a unit that plays with one set of eyes. They allow the offense to function at a high level on a high percentage of plays. Everything goes through them”
● “They come off the ball vs base defenses and create space for runners thru attacking with leverage then leg drive-a lot of acceleration on contact. Each run shows a good understanding of how to maintain leverage between the defender and ball. Consistently lower and inside of the men they block.”
● “They love to ‘start the fight’. They consistently block players that are more talented than they are. Epitome of what toughness and great effort - at all times – looks like. They represent the essence of what this position and award are all about.”
● “You can pick any play you want from any game and see what this award is about. They could easily win this award.
● “Watching the Notre Dame tape, I thought the O-line played and executed well with strong fundamentals, which gave them a chance against a superior opponent, despite being unable to adapt to a catch-up game. The main issue appeared to be the offense's inability to block the perimeter or pose a passing threat.”
Offensive line coach: Mike Viti & Matt Drinkall
Oregon (12-0)
● The Ducks have been sacked on just 3.0% of drop backs (12th in FBS).
● Oregon has only allowed twelve sacks all season (t-13th in FBS), with just 5 sacks allowed in the last 10 games combined.
● The Oregon O-line has provided 2.13 yards before contact per rush.
● The Ducks have rushed for 150+ rush yds in 8 of last 10 games.
What the committee is saying:
● “This is the only group that I have seen consistently be above average in pass protection, specifically in 1v1 situations with their tackles having the ability to hold up on an island better than any OL in consideration for the award. I do think their QB does a good job of navigating the pocket and not letting pressures turn into sacks which helps hide some of their losses, but they are in true drop back at a fairly-high rate and execute at a higher level than the rest of the other O-lines, in my opinion.”
● “They do a very good job straining and finishing with the ability to reset the LOS and execute a variety of concepts (duo, zone, counter). Play 47 vs Wisconsin is a nice rep of Duo across the board.”
● "This might be both the best and most improved unit. After a rough start to the season, they have steadily progressed and are now playing their best football. In my view, this unit offers the best blend of talent, versatility, and execution."
● “Big, talented, and athletic unit that can pull and run and make blocks in space, which they are asked to do a lot. Talent around them helps some, and they can be inconsistent in their technique at times. But it matters to them, and they look to finish at a fairly high rate.”
● "Looking back at their season, they were physical, consistent, and showed great effort with strong finishes against Michigan. Against UW, they played their best game, launching defenders off the ball (plays 4, 8, 10, 59). However, against Wisconsin, they played higher than I’d like and got edged at times. Center #72 has been a huge difference-maker throughout, helping them clear space up front even without the added threat of Dillon Gabriel’s legs."
● “They continue to impress me with their athleticism and technique. They do a great job with their combos and “rock back” technique (RG vs Wiscy, Play #8). They roll off the ball with speed (mid zone - Wisc Plays 11, 25; Duo, Play 32). Really are good at sustaining blocks in the open field (Screens - Wisc Play 12). I love the lt-#76, footwork/power (OSU, Play 27)!!! Love the way they chase the ball (OSU, Play 7).”
Offensive line coaches: A’lique Terry, Mike Cavanaugh, and Ryan Walk
Texas (11-1)
● The Longhorns allow pressure on 25.5% of dropbacks, the 28th best rate in the FBS.
● Texas is averaging 450.1 total yds per game, 15th most in the FBS despite playing 2 QBs this season – one of whom is a freshman.
● All 5 offensive line starters have allowed 3 or fewer sacks this season.
What the Committee is saying:
● “Loved the movement they can get on their doubles (FLA, Play 12 – 4th/1). Run well at 2ndlevel. Really good at pin/pull all year. Use a lot of screens and they execute them well.”
● “Talented group that makes the blocks you want to see. Good pass protectors in general-big athletic bodies that can be hard to get around.”
● “I've watched the UF, Vandy, Kentucky and Texas A&M. Finalist worthy, especially with the last two games I saw a lot more consistency, strain, and finish than they’d shown earlier in the season.”
● They're physical in pass protection. They strain on the backside, and even if they don't fire off the ball as hard as I want given their physical gifts. I thought they delivered late vs Kentucky with a chance to finish the game. They create great pockets frequently. They are finally playing “5 as 1”, even vs TAMU when their RS frosh LT had to take over for basically the entire game. Good plays for them would be Kentucky: 14, 28, 41, 49, and 54. And TAMU: 7, 12, 13, 20, 39, 43, 64, and 66.”
Offensive line coach: Kyle Flood
Units of Interest: In addition to the offensive line units listed above, committee members also took note and would like to give special recognition of the play and production of the following units:
Indiana
Indiana’s O-line tells an inspiring story of growth and cohesion. As one of the more consistent groups all season, they excelled in providing clean pockets and creating opportunities in the run game. Adapting to a new program while retaining the same O-line coach proved pivotal, allowing them to execute sound, effective technique over the course of the season. Though not as physically gifted as some of the other units, their relentless effort to finish blocks and do their job in a well-designed offensive scheme stood out to the committee. Their toughness, fundamentals, and commitment to team success make them a unit that Coach Moore would appreciate and respect.
Iowa
Iowa’s O-line is a testament to years of steady development under consistent coaching, embodying everything teams aspire to achieve up front. Known for their ability to knock defenders off the ball, create space for the RB, and protect the QB inside-out, this unit consistently limited negative plays through strong execution, technique, and effort. When given favorable looks, they elevate the standard for offensive line play, attacking defenders with physicality and finishing blocks with excellence. Despite their team’s offensive limitations, they successfully paved the way for the league’s leading rusher, proving their resilience and effectiveness.
Looking Ahead
Unlike in previous years, the 2024 Joe Moore Award Finalist selection and Winner will exclude conference championship game results due to the new playoff format. The award winner will be announced during a surprise visit to the winning university’s campus, scheduled in coordination with the school, likely in mid to late December.
Voting Committee
The Joe Moore Award Voting Committee is composed of 15 experts in offensive line play, including former linemen, coaches, talent evaluators, and qualified media analysts. Each week, they conduct in-depth analysis of game tape to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of O-line performance. In addition, the committee occasionally reviews advanced data and analytics provided by Sports Info Solutions to provide valuable context in evaluating a broad range of talent and units.
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); Harry Hiestand (Joe Moore disciple, decades-long CFB & NFL O-line coach, 2017 award winner), 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, CBS Sports); Brandon Thorn (editor of Trench Warfare); 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), 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 CoachJoe 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. Throughout his storied career, 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 traveling 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 bringing 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).
* Rankings based on AP Poll as of December 1, 2024