Army West Point Athletics
Offensive Line Named to Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll
October 10, 2024 | Football
NEW YORK — The Foundation for Teamwork, which has presented the Joe Moore Award for the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football since 2015, today announced the twenty-two members of its 2024 Midseason Honor Roll, including Army.
Earning a spot on this year's Midseason Honor Roll are the O-lines of #7 Alabama, Army, #10 Clemson, Iowa, #18 Kansas State, Louisiana, #13 LSU, #6 Miami, #24 Michigan, Navy, #2 Ohio State, #3 Oregon, #4 Penn State, Rutgers, #25 SMU, #8 Tennessee, #1 Texas, Texas Tech, UConn, UNLV, Western Michigan, and West Virginia.
Army's offensive line is led by Assistant Head Coach for Offense / Offensive Line, Mike Viti and and Offensive Line Coach, Matt Drinkall. The unit has had all five starters in every game this season: LT Connor Finucane, LG Bill Katsigiannis, C Brady Small, RG Paolo Gennarelli, RT Lucas Scott. The veteran-led unit has paved the way for the Black Knights averaging 361.2 rushing yards per game, leading over any other FBS team by 60 yards per game. Army's running backs are averaging 3.79 yards before contact per rush, more than a quarter of a yard more per attempt than any other team.
The front five is tied for second in the nation with only one sack allowed and only four penalties, tied for the ninth fewest in FBS. Additionally, the unit has only allowed twelve tackles for loss on the season, the second fewest in the FBS despite having the second-highest rushing attempts (267).
This year's Midseason Honor Roll members represent eight conferences and one independent (in alphabetical order): AAC (2), ACC (3), BIG TEN (6), BIG-12 (3), MAC (1) MWC (1), SEC 4), SUN BELT (1), and UConn. For games played through Oct. 5, 2024, these teams boast a combined record of 94-19, including nine undefeated squads, thirteen ranked teams overall, and eight teams ranked in the Top 10.*
These units have gained the attention of the Joe Moore Award voting committee as it moves closer to announcing the selection of its Semifinalists on Nov. 12, 2024 and its Finalists on Dec. 3, 2024. Selection of the 2024 Joe Moore Award Winner will be made public after the award's annual surprise visit to the winning university's campus, which will likely be in late December.
"Each unit of this year's Midseason Honor Roll has earned the right to be recognized for displaying the award criteria in a variety of ways that embody the essence of our position," said Aaron Taylor, CBS college football analyst and founder of the Joe Moore Award. Taylor played guard at the University of Notre Dame for the award's namesake, the legendary offensive line coach Joe Moore. "As always, physicality, finishing, and consistency in technique will likely be what elevates the units that do what it takes down the stretch to earn this award in the eyes of their peers."
Honor Roll Criteria and Selection Process
The Joe Moore Award voting committee judges solely on six criteria: toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and finishing.
Evaluations for the Midseason Honor Roll were made exclusively through weekly review of actual game film, including offensive line coach-provided cut-ups.
Voting Committee
The Joe Moore Award voting committee is composed of 14 individuals who are highly knowledgeable about offensive line play, including former linemen, coaches, talent evaluators and media analysts. This group conducts in-depth analysis by reviewing game tape every week of the season to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of overall O-line performance.
The 2024 voting committee includes Charles Arbuckle (UCLA, Indianapolis Colts); Randy Cross (UCLA, San Francisco 49ers); Chairman Cole Cubelic (Auburn, SEC Network); Gerry DiNardo (Notre Dame, head coach at LSU); Mike Golic, Jr. (Notre Dame, Draft Kings and TNT Game Analyst); Greg Hudson (Joe Moore grad assistant, long time college coordinator); Eric Mac Lain (Clemson, studio analyst ACC Network); Trophy Guardian Duke Manyweather (Humboldt State, player and coach; founder of OL Masterminds); Geoff Schwartz (Oregon, Carolina Panthers); Steve Shankweiler (four decade O-line coach, ECU); Phil Steele (publisher of Phil Steele's College Football Preview, ESPN); Aaron Taylor (Notre Dame, Green Bay Packers); Brandon Thorn (editor of Trench Warfare); and Lance Zierlein (NFL draft analyst, NFL.com).
Looking Ahead
After The Joe Moore Award Semifinalists and Finalists have been selected, a vote will be held to select the 2024 Winner of the Joe Moore Award by a voting body of 200-plus members. This voting body includes all of the current O-line coaches at the Division I/FBS level, as well as former players, coaches, colleagues of Coach Moore and select, qualified media members.
In addition to reviewing game tape every week of the season, the Joe Moore Award voting committee will later go through each of the finalists' season-long highlight reels and multiple back-to-back quarters of game film.
Past Award Recipients
Past recipients of the Joe Moore Award include the offensive lines of the University of Alabama (2015), the University of Iowa (2016), the University of Notre Dame (2017), Oklahoma University (2018), LSU (2019), the University of Alabama (2020 - first repeat winner), The University of Michigan (2021 and 2022 - first back to back winner), and the University of Washington (2023).
About the Joe Moore Award
The Joe Moore 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. Coach Moore sent 52 players on to the NFL, including Bill Fralic, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert and others. The Joe Moore Award trophy, crafted by legendary sports sculptor Jerry McKenna, is the largest trophy in college football, standing at a height of 6 feet and weighing in at 800 pounds. The perpetual trophy is made available for display by the winning university until the conclusion of the following college football season.
