Michigan becomes first team to win back-to-back Joe Moore Awards

The Michigan football team added another accomplishment to its 2022 season this Saturday as they claimed the Joe Moore Award given to the best offensive line unit in college football. Not only that, but the Wolverines also made history by becoming the first team to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

The Joe Moore Award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, and is the only major college football award to honor a group or unit.

Michigan’s offensive line featured tackle Karsen Barnhart (8 starts), guard Giovanni El-Hadi (3 starts), tackle Ryan Hayes (11 starts), guard Trevor Keegan (10 starts), center Olusegun Oluwatimi (13 starts), tackle Jeffrey Persi (1 start), tackle Trente Jones (6 starts), and guard Zak Zinter (13 starts). Sherrone Moore is the Wolverines’ offensive line coach.

In addition to winning the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line unit, Michigan also saw many of its offensive linemen earn individual honors this season. Oluwatimi won both the Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy given to the best center in college football, becoming the first Wolverines player to win the Outland. Keegan, Zinter and Oluwatimi were all also named first team All-Big Ten.

Michigan’s offensive line paved the way for a rushing attack that led the Big Ten and was sixth in the country with 243 yards per game. Running back Blake Corum ranks eighth nationally with 1,463 yards rushing in addition to 11 touchdowns.

Corum wasn’t the only one who benefitted from Michigan’s talented offensive line, however. Quarterback JJ McCarthy also received elite protection, as the Wolverines allowed just one sack per game to rank 11th in the country.

The Wolverines will hope their offensive line can continue its dominant play this season when they take on TCU in a College Football Playoff semifinal at 4 p.m. ET on New Year’s Eve.