Introducing the first winner of nation's top defensive line award: Michigan

HOUSTON, Texas — Every year since 2015, the Joe Moore Award has been presented to the nation’s top offensive line. After two-straight seasons of Michigan winning it, Washington earned the honor in 2023.

It’s quite the accomplishment, and as a result the award committee hauls in a 350-pound trophy — the largest in college football — to the winning team’s facility.

But what about the best defensive line? There’s no award for them (yet), but this writer, with the inspiration from defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, our inaugural committee member, has plans to start one.

We brought up the idea to Grant during national championship media day, and his eyes lit up.

“I said it yesterday during practice!” Grant revealed Saturday — purely coincidence. “We were talking about it and I said, ‘We should create an award for the best D-line in the nation.”

The second member of the committee: Michigan graduate defensive tackle Cam Goode.

“That’s the greatest question anyone in this room could’ve asked me,” Goode said when TheWolverine.com wondered if he agreed that there should be a D-line award. “Yes, and this year it goes to the Michigan D-line. Us having 7 sacks against Alabama lets y’all know that we should’ve won it.”

He makes a good point about the Alabama game, but it was at that point that we realized we’d have to get a much more expansive award committee to be taken seriously. So far, both members — two U-M defensive linemen — have the Wolverines winning the award.

“If you start it … you’re the originator,” Goode told us of kicking off the award. “You’re the first one with the idea. That would be dope as hell.”

Way ahead of you, Cam.

Michigan sophomore EDGE Derrick Moore actually mentioned another team (!) as in contention but also gives the nod to the Wolverines.

“I feel like it would’ve been a good one between us and Texas, but I feel like we would’ve had that, for sure,” Moore said. “Stats don’t lie, and we’ve got talent on the outside and in the middle, so we for sure would’ve won it.”

Michigan ranks 37th nationally with 82 tackles for loss, 15th with 38 sacks, ninth in rush defense and second in pass defense, due in part to thee pressure applied up front. The way the Wolverines have stepped up in big moments, too — key pressures leading to interceptions, big sacks, etc. — have put them in position to be the frontrunner.

“I feel like just watching us this season, I feel like we’ve been a threat to each team we’ve played, our front seven,” Michigan freshman backup EDGE Cameron Brandt. 

“If there was one, them boys up there would win it, for sure,” sophomore cornerback Will Johnson said. “I think we all know they’re the best D-line in the country — hands down. The people down south don’t like to say that, but the guys up here, we know that.”

Those who go up against Michigan’s defensive line on a daily basis agree.

Junior offensive tackle Tristan Bounds believes defensive lines have to be cohesive, just like an offensive line, and thus should have a collective award.

“I think there definitely should be, because it’s still a unit,” the Michigan lineman said. “I think one guy can definitely eat — like in ‘21, [defensive end] Aidan [Hutchinson] went crazy. But this year, our guys succeed so much off of other guys. They run a lot of games, a lot of stunts, and other guys get open. In the run game, it takes the whole front seven, and our dudes eat up blocks like nobody I’ve ever seen.

“If there was a defensive line award, there’s no question who deserves it in college football: our guys. 

“If you put the tape on, it’s really the tale of the tape. We were watching that SEC championship. Obviously, Georgia has some really good defensive linemen that were getting moved a little bit. Then you cut the tape on of the Rose Bowl, and [sophomore defensive tackle] Mason Graham is just throwing those dudes on the ground, making plays in the backfield. Same with Kenneth Grant, same with Cam Goode, same with [junior defensive tackle] Rayshaun Benny. The EDGEs played unbelievable. [Junior EDGE] Josaiah Stewart had that really good block destruct on the last play.

“Our guys just beat offensive lines a lot. I definitely wouldn’t want to game plan against them going into a game week.”

Michigan graduate left guard Trevor Keegan says, “I didn’t even think about that, but I think there should be [an award], now that I think of it. I think our unit, our defensive line, would obviously win it.

“They’re a special group, man. Obviously, all levels of our defense, there are special players, but especially our interior three, they just have their own attributes and qualities as players that make them special. Like Kris, huge run stopper, high IQ. KG, great run stopper, really does it all. And then Mason, he’s really just a wildcard, just a baller.”

Grant and Goode can be on the committee, but we need a vast network of members to get this thing on the ground. The work begins.