Alabama Offensive Line Wins Joe Mooore Award

The Alabama Offensive Line has won the Joe Mooore Award.

The award annually recognizes the toughest, most physical offensive line in the country, making it the only major college football award to honor a unit or group. The Crimson Tide previously won the award in its inaugural year in 2015, making Alabama the first two-time recipient.

The Joe Moore Award voting committee judges solely on six criteria: toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing and is the only award in college football that celebrates a group or unit. The award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, most notably for his work at Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh.

Offensive Line

The starting offensive line has featured Senior Left Tackle Alex Leatherwood (12 starts), Redshirt Senior Left Guard Deonte Brown (12 starts), Redshirt Senior Center Landon Dickerson (11 starts), Redshirt Sophomore Emil Ekiyor Jr. (12 starts) and Sophomore Right Tackle Evan Neal (11 starts). Redshirt Senior Chris Owens has one start at center and one start at right tackle.  The group has only allowed quarterback Mac Jones to be sacked nine times in 12 games on 379 drop backs, or one sack per 42.1 drop backs, while Jones leads the nation in passing efficiency (203.0).

The Crimson Tide ranks second nationally in rushing touchdowns with 35 (2.92 per game) while ranking fourth in the SEC in rushing offense (185.7 ypg).  The Alabama offensive line has blocked for the nation’s top-ranked Power Five scoring offense (48.2 ppg), the No. 1 pass efficiency offense (198.48) and No. 5 total offense (535.0).  The Crimson Tide offensive front features consensus All-Americans and leading candidates for the Outland Trophy (Alex Leatherwood) and Rimington Trophy (Landon Dickerson).  The veteran group boasts 126 career starts and their play has been the catalyst behind Alabama’s three Heisman Trophy candidates Najee Harris, Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith.