This is the only major college football award that honors an entire positional unit.
Ohio State’s offensive line was named one of 13 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which is presented annually to the country’s toughest and most physical offensive line unit.
Left tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, left guard Thayer Munford, center Luke Wypler, right tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and right tackle Dawand Jones have anchored an offense that leads the nation with 47.2 points and 559.9 yards per game.
The Buckeyes also rank sixth in the country in passing with 362.3 yards per game, sixth with 39.0 tackles for loss allowed, 13th with 13.0 sacks allowed and 32nd in rushing with 197.6 yards per game.
“Toughness and teamwork caught my attention,” an unnamed Joe Moore Award Voting Committee said about the Buckeyes. “In an offense that thrives on deep developing play action passes, this unit does an outstanding job of making pass protection physical and sustaining blocks for the duration.
"In addition to athleticism, this unit's best trait is the way they see and read defenses through one set of eyes. In both the run and pass game, this group tracks linebackers and redirects as well as any unit I've seen.”
Other schools whose offensive lines were named semifinalists Air Force, Appalachian State, Arkansas, Baylor, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana-Lafayette, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Oregon State and Wisconsin.
Named after former Pittsburgh and Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Moore, it is the only major college football award that honors a group of players. It was first presented in 2015, and Ohio State has not yet won the award.
Finalists will be named on Dec. 7, with the winner announced in the ensuing weeks with a surprise visit to campus.
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