Miami lands on prestigious midseason list for second straight season
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami was one of just 22 programs represented on the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the best offensive line in college football, The Foundation for Teamwork announced Thursday morning.
The 10th Joe Moore midseason honor roll features eight conferences and one independent, including three Atlantic Coast Conference programs.
“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. 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.
Despite seven different offensive linemen earning starts due to injury, the Hurricanes’
group up front has been a foundation for Miami’s offense.
Behind one of the top units in college football, the Hurricanes are first in total offense nationally, averaging 583.8 yards per game.
Miami is also second in the country in total scoring, posting 286 points through six contests.
The Hurricanes boast the No. 1 passing offense, while tallying the 16th-most rushing yards per carry in the FBS.
As a group, the offensive line has yielded the fewest tackles for loss in the ACC and rank 20th in the nation.
Miami is off to its best start in seven years, and quarterback Cam Ward has emerged as a Heisman hopeful in large part due to Miami’s line.
The Hurricanes’ sport a veteran unit, headlined by sophomore right tackle and Outland Trophy candidate Francis Mauigoa,
Mauigoa has allowed zero sacks and only one QB hit in 269 pass blocking snaps.
The Joe Moore Award voting committee is composed of 14 individuals who are highly knowledgeable about offensive line play, including former lineman, 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.
After the award’s semifinalists and finalists have been selected, a vote will be held to select the 2024 Winner of 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 media members.
– MiamiHurricanes.com –
