College football has no shortage of awards, but a new one launched Monday that set itself completely apart from the rest of the field.
Founded by former Notre Dame offensive lineman Aaron Taylor, the Joe Moore Award will honor the best offensive line in college football. Not best offensive lineman, best offensive line. The entire unit.
From the official press release:
The Joe Moore Award will annually recognize the offensive line unit that best displays toughness, effort, teamwork, physicality, tone setting and finishing. The first annual award will be presented following the conclusion of the regular season. The voting committee is comprised solely of people who played or coached the position, including all of the current offensive line coaches at the Division I/FBS level as well as former players, coaches, colleagues of Coach Moore and select media.
The award is designed to preserve the legacy of Joe Moore, who coached most notably at the University of Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. Moore died of lung cancer in 2003. He was responsible for developing the skills of several All-Americans throughout his storied career, including Bill Fralic, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert, Mark Stepnowski, Aaron Taylor and Andy Heck. Moore coached 52 players who went on to play in the NFL, several of whom are in the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame.
With the creation of the Joe Moore Award, let it never be said that offensive linemen are under-appreciated in college football. In theory, a highly-effective center could win the Rimington (best center), Outland (best offensive lineman), Lombardi (best interior player) and Moore (best unit) awards, in addition to all the other "best player" awards (Maxwell, Walter Camp, Heisman) in which he is technically eligible.
Weekly standouts will be honored each Tuesday, semifinalists announced Nov. 16, and five finalists revealed Nov. 30. The winning group will be announced "after the conclusion of the regular season."