Michigan, Georgia Named Two Finalists for Joe Moore Award

Michigan, Georgia Named Two Finalists for Joe Moore Award

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The offensive line for the No. 2-ranked Michigan Wolverines was revealed as one of two finalists for the 2022 Joe Moore Award by the Foundation for Teamwork on Wednesday (Dec. 7). The other finalist group is the unit from No. 1-ranked Georgia. The Wolverines won the award in 2021 for the first time in program history and are seeking to be the first offensive line unit to ever win the award in consecutive seasons.

The Joe Moore Award has been presented since 2015 and recognizes the most outstanding offensive line in college football. The voting committee trimming its finalist list to just two offensive line units is unprecedented in the award’s history.

U-M saw starting guards Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan pick up first-team All-Big Ten honors last week, while Olusegun Oluwatimi was first-team on the coaches’ ballots. Oluwatimi is also a finalist for the Rimington Trophy and Outland Trophy.

Ryan Hayes (second team, coaches) and Karsen Barnhart (honorable mention, both) were also All-Big Ten picks, marking the second year in a row that U-M has seen all five starters receive some type of all-conference recognition. Trente Jones (six starts) and Giovanni El-Hadi (three starts) are also major contributors to the group.

This group is the engine behind U-M’s offensive success. Last weekend, the Wolverines reached 13 wins for the first time in program history (13-0) with a win over Purdue in the Big Ten Championship game. U-M out-rushed Purdue 225-90 in the win.

The Wolverine line has anchored an offense that ranks No. 7 in scoring (40.1 points per game) on the strength of the nation’s No. 6 rushing attack (243.0 yards per game). The line has boosted the team’s run game to the tune of 5.96 sack-adjusted yards per carry with nearly three rushing touchdowns per game (38, No. 2, NCAA).

The line helped Blake Corum (1,463 rushing yards, 19 total touchdowns) to a historic season before injury shut him down for the remainder of the year. Corum, the Big Ten’s Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year, is also a finalist for the Doak Walker Award.

In the passing game, the Wolverines have allowed only 13 sacks across 13 games. Sacks against starting…