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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa’s offensive line has been named one-of-18 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which honors offensive line units that display a high level of toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and finishing. The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon by The Foundation for Teamwork.
The Joe Moore Award, in its second year, is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history. It is the only major college football award to honor a unit.
The Joe Moore Award finalists will be named on November 29th and the winner will be announced at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta on December 9.
Iowa’s offensive line has seen seven different starting combinations through 11 games this season. Senior Cole Croston (LT/RT); juniors Ike Boettger (LT, LG, RT), Boone Myers (LT, LG), and Sean Welsh (RG, RT); sophomores James Daniels (C), Lucas LeGrand (C), and Keegan Render (LG, RG); and freshman Levi Paulsen (RG) have all started in at least one game for the Hawkeyes.
Iowa’s offense is averaging 163.5 rushing yards per game — averaging 4.35 yards per carry and 2.4 yards before contact — and 326.5 yards total offense per game. The Hawkeyes also rank second in the Big Ten in red zone offense (.912), scoring points on 31-of-34 trips to the red zone (23 touchdowns, eight field goals).
Iowa’s big men up front have paved the way for the running back duo of Leshun Daniels, Jr. (855) and Akrum Wadley (861). Daniels and Wadley have rushed for over 100 yards in a single game a combined seven times this season, and are just the third set of running backs in program history to have 800-plus rushing yards in the same season.
In Iowa’s week seven win over Purdue, both players topped 100 yards, marking the first time since 2008 Iowa had two 100-yard rushers in the same game (Shonn Greene, 115; Jewel Hampton, 114 yards vs. Indiana). It marked the 24th time two players rushed for 100 yards or more in the same game, but the first time two players reached the 150-yard plateau. The duo helped the Hawkeyes rush for 365 yards against the Boilermakers, tying for the second most rushing yardage total in the Ferentz era (Minnesota, 2002).
Iowa closes the regular season Friday, hosting 15th-ranked Nebraska in Kinnick Stadium (2:36 p.m., ABC). Tickets are online at hawkeyesports.com, in person at the UI Athletics Ticket Office in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, or by calling 1-800-IAHAWKS.
