NEW YORK — Oregon football’s offensive line has been named a semifinalist for the 2023 Joe Moore Award, given to the top offensive line unit in college football. The Ducks are one of 12 semifinalists, along with Florida State, Georgia, Kansas State, LSU, Michigan, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
Quarterback Bo Nix was also announced as one of 20 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award on Tuesday, after he was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week and a Maxwell Award semifinalist on Monday.
Oregon’s offensive line has been among the nation’s very best in 2023, leading the FBS with just four sacks allowed and tying for third with only 32 tackles for loss allowed. The Ducks are the nation’s top-graded pass-blocking team by Pro Football Focus at 89.7, while ranking second with a 94.2 rushing grade.
UO has picked up where it left off in 2022 – when the Ducks led the nation with just five sacks allowed – despite having to replace four starters on the offensive line. The O-line has set the tone for an offense that leads the nation in scoring (46.3 PPG), first downs per game (26.8) and fewest turnovers (4), while ranking second in total offense (540.0 YPG), yards per rush (6.16) and total yards per play (7.84).
Oregon has dominated the Joe Moore Award Pancake Block of the Week honor this season, with three different Ducks combining to win five times. Jackson Powers-Johnson has won three times, while Ajani Cornelius and Steven Jones each won it once.
Powers-Johnson has been one of the nation’s elite centers in his first season as the starter, ranking second at the position with a 90.2 pass-blocking grade from PFF while leading Oregon with 31 total knockdowns. He also ranks fifth among all centers in overall grade (78.8) and sixth in run blocking (77.5).
Jones is the highest-graded pass-blocking guard in the Pac-12 at 90.9 by PFF, ranking fourth among all FBS guards.
As a team, Oregon has allowed just 30 quarterback hurries and 36 total pressures in 10 games. The Ducks are one of just 11 teams to start the same five players on the offensive line in every game this season.
What the Joe Moore Award Committee is saying about Oregon:
“Man, these dudes out here on the West Coast are trying to hurt people’s feelings. Like it’s personal to them. They play with a physicality and finish to them that is glorious to watch. They’ve become a JMA manistay due to their steady play and ability to grind on teams in the run game. They look to punish and pile drive in pass pro, and display a level of physicality that is rare in today’s college game. Fun unit with the goods to advance, if not win it.”
