Photo by: Annabelle Merz | Louisville Athletics
Offensive Line Unit Named to the Joe Moore Midseason Watch List
October 17, 2023 | Football
NEW YORK (Oct. 17, 2023) — The University of Louisville offensive line was recognized by The Joe Moore Award as one of the 23 Most Outstanding Offensive
Line Units in College Football today, announced by The Foundation for Teamwork, which has presented the unique award since 2015.
Earning a spot on this year's midseason honor roll are the offensive lines of No. 22 Air Force, Clemson, No. 16 Duke, Florida, No. 4 Florida State, No. 1 Georgia, Kansas State, Kentucky, No. 21 Louisville, No. 19 LSU, Miami, No. 2 Michigan, No. 20 Missouri, No. 15 Notre Dame, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 Oregon, No. 12 Oregon State, No. 7 Penn State, No. 17 Tennessee, No. 8 Texas, UCF, No. 5 Washington, and Wyoming.
This year's honor roll members represent eight conferences and two independents (in alphabetical order): ACC (5), BIG TEN (3), BIG-12 (3), MWC (2), PAC-12 (3), SEC (6), and Notre Dame. For games played through Oct. 16, teams on this year's honor roll had a combined record of 122-26 and includes sixteen ranked teams, eight of which are in the Top Ten of the AP Poll.
The Cardinals have started the same lineup in six of the first seven games after Renato Brown went down prior to the Pitt game. Center Bryan Hudson, guards Michael Gonzalez, Brown and tackles Eric Miller and Willie Tyler has produced an averaged of 178.3 yards on the ground and 464.0 yards of total offense through seven games.
These units have gained the attention of the Joe Moore Award voting committee as it moves closer to announcing the selection of semifinalists on Nov. 14 and finalists on Dec. 5. Selection of the 2023 Joe Moore Award winner will be made public after a surprise visit to the winning
university's campus in late December.
"The offensive line units on the 2023 Midseason Honor Roll have caught the attention of the committee through the October 14 weekend, by demonstrating some or all of the award criteria in a recognizable way," said Cole Cubelic, chairman of the Joe Moore Award voting committee. "The bar will raise significantly from here, and the consistency required to earn further recognition will be how the elite units eventually separate themselves." "It's been fun to watch these units come together and begin to elevate their play as the year has progressed," said Lance Zierlein, JMA voting committee member and NFL Draft analyst. "Our experience has shown that the cream begins to rise to the top from here on out, so we'll keep a closer eye on all units to see how they finish down the stretch, especially in November. As
always, having some depth and staying healthy will be critical."
In addition to the offensive line units listed above, committee members also took note of the play and production of Appalachian State, Boston College, Liberty, Louisiana, and Troy. 2023 Midseason Honor Roll at a Glance
Air Force (6-0)
? Air Force leads the MW and leads the nation in rushing (334.2).
? Air Force is second in the nation in sacks allowed with three.
Clemson (4-2)
? Clemson ranks fourth in the ACC in rushing yards per game (188.2).
? The Tigers have only yielded 9 sacks through six games this season.
Duke (5-1)
? Duke leads the ACC in rushing yards per game (198.5) and rushing TDs (17).
? The Blue Devils offensive line unit has given up the fewest sacks in the ACC (5).
Florida (5-2)
? The Gators offense is sixth in the SEC in total yards per game (421.7).
? Florida's twelve rushing touchdowns are tied for sixth with Alabama and Tennessee.
Florida State (6-0)
? The Seminoles lead the ACC and are fifth in the country with an average of 3.50 TFLs
allowed per game.
? FSU has earned half of the league's ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors this
season.
Georgia (7-0)
? Georgia's offensive line unit has paved the way for an SEC best 19 rushing touchdowns.
? OL leads the SEC and is ranked 12th nationally after allowing just six sacks in seven
games (0.86/g)
? Bulldogs are piling up 509.4 yards/game, which ranks fifth nationally.
Kansas State (4-2)
? Kansas State ranks 11th nationally and fifth among Power 5 programs in rushing yards per
game (214.3).
? The Wildcats are tied for fourth overall and tied for first among Power 5 programs (with
Georgia) with 19 rushing TDs.
? Kansas State has scored 24 touchdowns on 29 red zone attempts (82.8%) as its 24
red-zone touchdowns are tied for eighth nationally and tops in the Big 12.
Kentucky (4-2)
? Kentucky has only allowed eleven sacks this season, third best in the SEC.
? The Wildcats have only allowed 32 tackles for loss, fourth best in the SEC.
Louisville (6-1)
? Louisville offense is the third best in the ACC in total yards per game (464.0).
? The Louisville offensive line has provided protection for the third best passing game in
the ACC (285.7).
LSU (5-2)
? LSU's offensive line has helped pave the way for a Tiger offense that ranks among the
Top 10 nationally in 7 categories: No. 2 in first downs (27.7), No. 2 in total offense
(550.4), No. 2 3rd-down conversions (57.5 pct.), No. 3 in scoring (45.3), No. 4 pass
efficiency (188.0 rating), No. 7 in passing (337.7), No. 10 in rushing (214.6).
? LSU has had only 1 designed running play go for negative yardage and that was in the
season-opener.
Miami (4-2)
? The Hurricanes are averaging 191.0 rushing yards per game, which is ranked as the 27th
highest in FBS and the 3rd highest in the ACC.
? The Hurricanes running backs rank No. 15 in FBS and No. 10 among all Power-5
programs with an average of 5.41 rushing yards per carry. Starting running back Henry
Parrish's average of 6.2 yards per carry is the 16th best mark in FBS and the 11th best
mark in Power-5.
Michigan (7-0)
? Michigan's offensive line has allowed only seven sacks on the season (1.0 per game), the
14th-fewest nationally. With that unit as the engine, U-M permits the second-fewest
negative plays per game (2.71) of any team in the country.
? The offense supports the national leader in rushing touchdowns in Blake Corum (12) and
the co-leader in receiving touchdowns in Roman Wilson (9).
? The run game has produced 18 touchdowns (tied-eight, FBS) with ball carriers averaging
4.9 yards per carry. The team averages 182 rushing yards per game with only 75 negative
rushing yards on 261 carries.
Missouri (6-1)
? Missouri's offensive line has helped the Tigers gain the fourth most yards per game in the
SEC (445.4).
? The Tigers passing offense is fourth best in the SEC (305.6).
Notre Dame (6-2)
? Notre Dame's offense this season ranks 10th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed
(3.75/game), 14th in team passing efficiency (167.65) and passes had intercepted (3), and
15th in total first downs (160).
? The Irish offensive line has paved the way for running back Audric Estimé, the leading
rusher among all Power 5 players (787 yards), to rush for at least 95 yards in five games this season, including three-consecutive weeks of 100+-rushing yard games (116 vs. Tennessee State, 134 vs. NC State, 176 vs. Central Michigan).
Ohio State (6-0)
? Ohio State leads the Big Ten in total yards per game (443.0).
? The Buckeyes have yielded ten sacks through six games this year.
Oregon (5-1)
? The Ducks offensive line has combined for 90 knockdowns through six games, led by 19
from Powers-Johnson.
? Oregon is tied for fourth in the nation with just four sacks allowed, and tied for ninth with
only 24 tackles for loss given up.
? Oregon leads the nation in scoring (48.5 PPG) and is one of just two teams (LSU) to rank
in the top 10 in both rushing (8th, 221.67 YPG) and passing offense (9th, 331.7 YPG).
Oregon State (6-1)
? Oregon State is fourth in the Pac 12 in rushing yards per game (195.1).
? The Beavers have only yielded eight sacks through seven games, third best in the Pac 12.
Penn State (6-0)
? Through six games in 2023, the Nittany Lions' offensive line has allowed just 34
pressures and three sacks.
? In 2023, Penn State ranks fifth in the nation in sacks allowed per game (0.67), seventh in
tackles for loss allowed per game (3.67) and 15th in rushing offense (203.3).
? The four games without allowing a sack were the most for Penn State since 2011 (five
games).
Tennessee (5-1)
? Despite several injuries during the first half of the season, Tennessee's offensive line has
paved the way for a rushing unit that is putting up 231.3 yards per game, which is tops in
the SEC and sixth nationally. The Vols are averaging 5.9 yards per rush, which is fifth
nationally.
? The highlight of the offensive line has come in the last two SEC games as the Vols
pounded out 238 rushing yards vs. South Carolina and 232 rushing yards vs. Texas
A&M, who came into the game with the SEC's best rushing defense, allowing only 84.0
yards per game.
Texas (5-1)
? Texas returns all five starters along the offensive line with Kelvin Banks, Jr., Hayden
Conner, Jake Majors, Cole Hutson and Christian Jones back for the 2023 season. It marks
the first time since at least 1993 that all five starters return.
? The Texas offensive line has opened holes for running back Jonathon Brooks, who ranks
fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game (121.0), sixth in all-purpose yards (141.17)
and ninth in rushing yards (726).
Washington (6-0)
? The Huskies lead the FBS in passing yards per game (424.7).
? This physical unit is 5th best in sacks allowed, allowing just four sacks in six games.
UCF (3-3)
? UCF's offensive line has been an integral part of the Knights ranking third nationally in
rushing offense, averaging 246.3 rushing yards per game.
? Additionally, UCF is fourth nationally in total offense with 516.7 yards per game.
? Both of those marks lead the Big 12 Conference.
Wyoming (5-2)
? The physical Cowboys offensive line has registered 146 knockdowns through seven
games, – an average of 16 knockdowns per game,
? Despite multiple injuries at the running back and quarterback position, Wyoming has
been able to maintain an average of 5.3 yards per rush.
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 solely through weekly review of actual game film and offensive line coach-provided cut-ups.
Voting Committee
The Joe Moore Award voting committee comprises 10 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 weekof the season to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of overall offensive line performance.
The 2023 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); Duke Manyweather (Humboldt State, player and coach); Geoff Schwartz (Oregon, Carolina Panthers); 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).
Line Units in College Football today, announced by The Foundation for Teamwork, which has presented the unique award since 2015.
Earning a spot on this year's midseason honor roll are the offensive lines of No. 22 Air Force, Clemson, No. 16 Duke, Florida, No. 4 Florida State, No. 1 Georgia, Kansas State, Kentucky, No. 21 Louisville, No. 19 LSU, Miami, No. 2 Michigan, No. 20 Missouri, No. 15 Notre Dame, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 Oregon, No. 12 Oregon State, No. 7 Penn State, No. 17 Tennessee, No. 8 Texas, UCF, No. 5 Washington, and Wyoming.
This year's honor roll members represent eight conferences and two independents (in alphabetical order): ACC (5), BIG TEN (3), BIG-12 (3), MWC (2), PAC-12 (3), SEC (6), and Notre Dame. For games played through Oct. 16, teams on this year's honor roll had a combined record of 122-26 and includes sixteen ranked teams, eight of which are in the Top Ten of the AP Poll.
The Cardinals have started the same lineup in six of the first seven games after Renato Brown went down prior to the Pitt game. Center Bryan Hudson, guards Michael Gonzalez, Brown and tackles Eric Miller and Willie Tyler has produced an averaged of 178.3 yards on the ground and 464.0 yards of total offense through seven games.
These units have gained the attention of the Joe Moore Award voting committee as it moves closer to announcing the selection of semifinalists on Nov. 14 and finalists on Dec. 5. Selection of the 2023 Joe Moore Award winner will be made public after a surprise visit to the winning
university's campus in late December.
"The offensive line units on the 2023 Midseason Honor Roll have caught the attention of the committee through the October 14 weekend, by demonstrating some or all of the award criteria in a recognizable way," said Cole Cubelic, chairman of the Joe Moore Award voting committee. "The bar will raise significantly from here, and the consistency required to earn further recognition will be how the elite units eventually separate themselves." "It's been fun to watch these units come together and begin to elevate their play as the year has progressed," said Lance Zierlein, JMA voting committee member and NFL Draft analyst. "Our experience has shown that the cream begins to rise to the top from here on out, so we'll keep a closer eye on all units to see how they finish down the stretch, especially in November. As
always, having some depth and staying healthy will be critical."
In addition to the offensive line units listed above, committee members also took note of the play and production of Appalachian State, Boston College, Liberty, Louisiana, and Troy. 2023 Midseason Honor Roll at a Glance
Air Force (6-0)
? Air Force leads the MW and leads the nation in rushing (334.2).
? Air Force is second in the nation in sacks allowed with three.
Clemson (4-2)
? Clemson ranks fourth in the ACC in rushing yards per game (188.2).
? The Tigers have only yielded 9 sacks through six games this season.
Duke (5-1)
? Duke leads the ACC in rushing yards per game (198.5) and rushing TDs (17).
? The Blue Devils offensive line unit has given up the fewest sacks in the ACC (5).
Florida (5-2)
? The Gators offense is sixth in the SEC in total yards per game (421.7).
? Florida's twelve rushing touchdowns are tied for sixth with Alabama and Tennessee.
Florida State (6-0)
? The Seminoles lead the ACC and are fifth in the country with an average of 3.50 TFLs
allowed per game.
? FSU has earned half of the league's ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors this
season.
Georgia (7-0)
? Georgia's offensive line unit has paved the way for an SEC best 19 rushing touchdowns.
? OL leads the SEC and is ranked 12th nationally after allowing just six sacks in seven
games (0.86/g)
? Bulldogs are piling up 509.4 yards/game, which ranks fifth nationally.
Kansas State (4-2)
? Kansas State ranks 11th nationally and fifth among Power 5 programs in rushing yards per
game (214.3).
? The Wildcats are tied for fourth overall and tied for first among Power 5 programs (with
Georgia) with 19 rushing TDs.
? Kansas State has scored 24 touchdowns on 29 red zone attempts (82.8%) as its 24
red-zone touchdowns are tied for eighth nationally and tops in the Big 12.
Kentucky (4-2)
? Kentucky has only allowed eleven sacks this season, third best in the SEC.
? The Wildcats have only allowed 32 tackles for loss, fourth best in the SEC.
Louisville (6-1)
? Louisville offense is the third best in the ACC in total yards per game (464.0).
? The Louisville offensive line has provided protection for the third best passing game in
the ACC (285.7).
LSU (5-2)
? LSU's offensive line has helped pave the way for a Tiger offense that ranks among the
Top 10 nationally in 7 categories: No. 2 in first downs (27.7), No. 2 in total offense
(550.4), No. 2 3rd-down conversions (57.5 pct.), No. 3 in scoring (45.3), No. 4 pass
efficiency (188.0 rating), No. 7 in passing (337.7), No. 10 in rushing (214.6).
? LSU has had only 1 designed running play go for negative yardage and that was in the
season-opener.
Miami (4-2)
? The Hurricanes are averaging 191.0 rushing yards per game, which is ranked as the 27th
highest in FBS and the 3rd highest in the ACC.
? The Hurricanes running backs rank No. 15 in FBS and No. 10 among all Power-5
programs with an average of 5.41 rushing yards per carry. Starting running back Henry
Parrish's average of 6.2 yards per carry is the 16th best mark in FBS and the 11th best
mark in Power-5.
Michigan (7-0)
? Michigan's offensive line has allowed only seven sacks on the season (1.0 per game), the
14th-fewest nationally. With that unit as the engine, U-M permits the second-fewest
negative plays per game (2.71) of any team in the country.
? The offense supports the national leader in rushing touchdowns in Blake Corum (12) and
the co-leader in receiving touchdowns in Roman Wilson (9).
? The run game has produced 18 touchdowns (tied-eight, FBS) with ball carriers averaging
4.9 yards per carry. The team averages 182 rushing yards per game with only 75 negative
rushing yards on 261 carries.
Missouri (6-1)
? Missouri's offensive line has helped the Tigers gain the fourth most yards per game in the
SEC (445.4).
? The Tigers passing offense is fourth best in the SEC (305.6).
Notre Dame (6-2)
? Notre Dame's offense this season ranks 10th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed
(3.75/game), 14th in team passing efficiency (167.65) and passes had intercepted (3), and
15th in total first downs (160).
? The Irish offensive line has paved the way for running back Audric Estimé, the leading
rusher among all Power 5 players (787 yards), to rush for at least 95 yards in five games this season, including three-consecutive weeks of 100+-rushing yard games (116 vs. Tennessee State, 134 vs. NC State, 176 vs. Central Michigan).
Ohio State (6-0)
? Ohio State leads the Big Ten in total yards per game (443.0).
? The Buckeyes have yielded ten sacks through six games this year.
Oregon (5-1)
? The Ducks offensive line has combined for 90 knockdowns through six games, led by 19
from Powers-Johnson.
? Oregon is tied for fourth in the nation with just four sacks allowed, and tied for ninth with
only 24 tackles for loss given up.
? Oregon leads the nation in scoring (48.5 PPG) and is one of just two teams (LSU) to rank
in the top 10 in both rushing (8th, 221.67 YPG) and passing offense (9th, 331.7 YPG).
Oregon State (6-1)
? Oregon State is fourth in the Pac 12 in rushing yards per game (195.1).
? The Beavers have only yielded eight sacks through seven games, third best in the Pac 12.
Penn State (6-0)
? Through six games in 2023, the Nittany Lions' offensive line has allowed just 34
pressures and three sacks.
? In 2023, Penn State ranks fifth in the nation in sacks allowed per game (0.67), seventh in
tackles for loss allowed per game (3.67) and 15th in rushing offense (203.3).
? The four games without allowing a sack were the most for Penn State since 2011 (five
games).
Tennessee (5-1)
? Despite several injuries during the first half of the season, Tennessee's offensive line has
paved the way for a rushing unit that is putting up 231.3 yards per game, which is tops in
the SEC and sixth nationally. The Vols are averaging 5.9 yards per rush, which is fifth
nationally.
? The highlight of the offensive line has come in the last two SEC games as the Vols
pounded out 238 rushing yards vs. South Carolina and 232 rushing yards vs. Texas
A&M, who came into the game with the SEC's best rushing defense, allowing only 84.0
yards per game.
Texas (5-1)
? Texas returns all five starters along the offensive line with Kelvin Banks, Jr., Hayden
Conner, Jake Majors, Cole Hutson and Christian Jones back for the 2023 season. It marks
the first time since at least 1993 that all five starters return.
? The Texas offensive line has opened holes for running back Jonathon Brooks, who ranks
fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game (121.0), sixth in all-purpose yards (141.17)
and ninth in rushing yards (726).
Washington (6-0)
? The Huskies lead the FBS in passing yards per game (424.7).
? This physical unit is 5th best in sacks allowed, allowing just four sacks in six games.
UCF (3-3)
? UCF's offensive line has been an integral part of the Knights ranking third nationally in
rushing offense, averaging 246.3 rushing yards per game.
? Additionally, UCF is fourth nationally in total offense with 516.7 yards per game.
? Both of those marks lead the Big 12 Conference.
Wyoming (5-2)
? The physical Cowboys offensive line has registered 146 knockdowns through seven
games, – an average of 16 knockdowns per game,
? Despite multiple injuries at the running back and quarterback position, Wyoming has
been able to maintain an average of 5.3 yards per rush.
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 solely through weekly review of actual game film and offensive line coach-provided cut-ups.
Voting Committee
The Joe Moore Award voting committee comprises 10 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 weekof the season to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of overall offensive line performance.
The 2023 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); Duke Manyweather (Humboldt State, player and coach); Geoff Schwartz (Oregon, Carolina Panthers); 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).
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballThe Card Tape: Boca Raton Bowl
Friday, December 26
FB: Bush's Boca Raton Bowl Postgame Press Conference
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The Card Tape: Kentucky (2025)
Monday, December 01
FB: Highlights vs. Kentucky
Sunday, November 30
