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The Texas O-line wants to win the Joe Moore Award: Looking at previous winners to see what it takes

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•08/09/23•

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Christian Jones (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

The Joe Moore Award is given annually to the most outstanding offensive line that best displays the following criteria: toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and “finishing.”

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Texas has never taken that honor home, one of the few that has eluded the Longhorn football program. Part of that has to do with the trophy’s brief history. It’s only been around since 2015.

Even so, a look at Longhorn football since 2015 and specifically the offensive line in those seasons would explain why UT hasn’t added the Joe Moore Award to its trophy case.

The Longhorns aim to change that this year.

“The offensive line goal this year is to win the Joe Moore Award,” Christian Jones said last week. “We want it. We’re pushing for it. We’ve got to let our play on the field speak for itself, but that is our goal in the unit. We’re all pushing for it. There’s a little chart with the Joe Moore Award, we look at it, and it’s right on the door. It has the exact list that they’re looking for.”

How do the Longhorns go about making that happen?

“Just do what we’re doing now,” Kelvin Banks said Tuesday. “We’re coming to practice every day, making sure we’re running to the ball. If we’re not running to the ball, Coach Flood is getting onto us and making sure we’re running to the ball. Next day, he’ll come to the group and say ‘guys, let’s get better. Let’s get to the ball. Let’s get on our blocks.’ Just small things like that.”

Texas offensive coordinator Kyle Flood has all five starters returning from the 2022 squad, plus three more members of his group he considers ready for action. That list of eight is likely Banks, Jones, Hayden Conner, Jake Majors, Cole Hutson, Cameron Williams, Neto Umeozulu, and DJ Campbell.

What has typically separated Joe Moore Award winners from other O-lines is the level of NFL talent. Every winner of the award has boasted at least two NFL draft picks, with some having as many as five or six. Flood himself was even responsible for one while at Alabama.

There’s high-level talent in the Texas offensive line room. Is there enough to create a group that can top OLs from around the country?

A look to the past could help unveil the answer.

2015

Winner: Alabama
Finalists: Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Stanford

Starting 5: Cam Robinson – Ross Pierschbacher – Ryan Kelly – Alphonse Taylor – Dominick Jackson

Draft picks: 3

2016

Winner: Iowa
Finalists: Alabama, Ohio State

Starting 5: Boone Meyers – Keegan Render – James Daniels – Sean Welch – Ike Boettger (plus Cole Croston)

Draft picks: 2

2017

Winner: Notre Dame
Finalists: Alabama, Auburn

Starting 5: Mike McGlinchey – Quenton Nelson – Sam Mustipher – Alex Bars – Robert Hainsey/Tommy Kraemer

Draft picks: 4

2018

Winner: Oklahoma
Finalists: Georgia, Alabama

Starting 5: Bobby Evans – Ben Powers – Creed Humphrey – Dru Samia – Cody Ford

Draft picks: 5

2019

Winner: LSU
Finalists: Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon

Starting 5: Saahdiq Charles – Adrian Magee/Ed Ingram – Lloyd Cushenberry – Damien Lewis – Austin Deculus

Draft picks: 6

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2020

Winner: Alabama
Finalists: Notre Dame, Texas A&M

Starting 5: Alex Leatherwood – Deonte Brown – Landon Dickerson – Emil Ekiyor – Evan Neal

Draft picks: 4

2021

Winner: Michigan
Finalists: Air Force, Kentucky, Oregon State

Starting 5: Ryan Hayes – Trevor Keegan – Andrew Vastardis – Zak Zinter – Andrew Stueber

Draft picks: 2

2022

Winner: Michigan
Finalists: Georgia, Michigan

Starting 5: Ryan Hayes – Trevor Keegan – Olusegun Oluwatimi – Zak Zinter – Karsen Barnhar

Draft picks: 3

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