The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 2/2/2 Football’s offensive line honored as Joe Moore Award finalists
12.03.2024 | Football
The offensive line was named a finalist for the award for the first time in its history dating back to 2015.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Football offensive line has been recognized as a finalist for the 2024 Joe Moore Award, The Foundation for Teamwork announced Tuesday night. Since its inception in 2015, The Joe Moore Award has recognized elite offensive line units for their unparalleled toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and ability to finish.
Texas' offensive line is one of three finalists for the award, joining Army and Oregon. It marks the first time the Longhorns have been a finalist for the award in its 10-year history after being a semifinalist for it last season.
Behind the 2024 offensive line which includes four returning starters, Texas has one of the most productive offenses in the nation. The Longhorns have used the same five starters along the offensive line in all 12 games this season. From left tackle to right tackle that includes Kelvin Banks Jr. (39 career starts), Hayden Conner (39 career starts), Jake Majors (53 career starts), DJ Campbell (25 career starts) and Cameron Williams (13 career starts). That group averages 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds. Cole Hutson (13 career starts) has also been a key contributor to the offensive line this season. All totaled, the Longhorns offensive linemen have combined to start 182 games during their careers.
This year's offense line has helped Texas rank No. 13 in team passing efficiency (158.63), 14th in total offense (450.1), 14th nationally in completion percentage (67.2 percent), 17th in passing offense (274.6 ypg) and 21st in scoring offense (34.8 ppg). The Longhorns allowed pressure on 25.5 percent of dropbacks, the 28th-best rate in the FBS. Additionally, all five offensive line starters have allowed three or fewer sacks this season.
Banks (twice), Conner, Majors and Williams have all earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors this year. Banks, a preseason first-team All-American and 2024 Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy finalist, is a third-year starter who was tabbed a second-team All-American in 2023. Majors, who claimed Outland Trophy National Player of the Week recognition for his efforts in the Michigan game and is a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy as well as a member of the Rimington Trophy watch list, is in his fourth season as a starter. Hayden Conner, a third-year starter, was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works team and was a semifinalist for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. With 53 starts to his credit, Majors has a chance to break the UT record for career starts (55: Johnathan Scott, OL, 2002-05/Rodrique Wright, DT, 2002-05). Campbell has started 25-straight games while Williams, the SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts in the Horns win over Colorado State on Aug. 31, is in his first season as a starter at right tackle, replacing Christian Jones who is now with the Arizona Cardinals.
Under the direction of co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood, the Longhorns are one of three FBS teams with the same offensive line starters in 12 games during the regular season (Texas, Texas State and Wisconsin).
By rushing for 240 yards against Texas A&M, the Texas offense has now rushed for 100-or-more yards in 11 of 12 games this season. It was the fourth time this season (and the third time in the last four games) the Longhorns have surpassed 200-or-more rushing yards after also doing so against ULM, Florida and Arkansas.
The line has paved the way for several standout drives recently, including the second drive of the game against Texas A&M, which went for 10 plays and 93 yards and resulted in a touchdown that provided a 7-0 lead, which was a lead the team would not surrender in the game. Against Kentucky, the line cleared the path for an epic 15-play, 86-yard touchdown drive that lasted 8:22 and consisted entirely of rushes. The drive started at 11:32 and ended at 3:10 to extend the lead to 31-14. At Arkansas, Texas was able to run out the last 6:55 of the game, earning four first downs in the process, to prevent the Razorbacks from having another possession and secure the win.
Behind the offensive line's blocking and protection, QB Quinn Ewers has been one of the nation's top quarterbacks this season. Ewers was tabbed a Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 10 Finalist on Oct. 31 and was also named a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. Ewers extended his passing touchdown streak to 23-consecutive games in the Horns' 17-7 win at No. 20/19/20 Texas A&M on Nov. 30. His passing touchdown streak is the second-longest in program history, trailing Colt McCoy's record of 29-straight games with a passing touchdown. Ewers also sits fourth in the program's record book in career passing yards with 7,963. The Longhorn rushing attack also excelled against the Aggies to help Texas clinch an SEC Championship Game berth. RB Quintrevion Wisner ran 33 times for a career-high 186 yards (5.6 ypc) and added two catches for 21 yards to total 207 yards of total offense. The 186 rushing yards is the fourth-most ever by a Longhorn in the storied series history against Texas A&M. Wisner joined a group in the top five of that category that includes UT legends Cedric Benson, Ricky Williams and Earl Campbell. For the season, Wisner now has the fourth-most rushing yards in the SEC with 812. Wisner is part of a Texas offense that ranks 15th scoring offense (36.5 ppg) and 18th in total offense (449.4 ypg). To go along with three rushing touchdowns, Wisner is averaging 5.2 yards per carry this season.
In addition, freshman RB Jerrick Gibson became one of three Longhorns to run for over 100 yards in a single game this season after recording 16 carries for 100 yards (6.3 ypc) and a score against Florida. There has been a 100-yard rusher in five of 12 games this season, led by Wisner's three 100-yard performances.
In Texas' Week 2 31-12 road victory at No. 10/9 Michigan on Sept. 7, the 19-point win at Michigan was the Longhorns' largest margin of victory against a top-10 team on the road since 1979. The UT offense combined for 246 passing yards with 143 rushing yards to outgain the Wolverines, 389-284.
UT finished the regular season 11-1 for the second-straight year, marking the first time the Longhorns have recorded back-to-back seasons with double digit victories since 2008-09. Texas has won 11-consecutive true road games which doubles as the longest active streak in the FBS. The Horns are currently ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press and US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Texas squares off with No. 5/5/7 Georgia in the 2024 SEC Championship Game at 3 p.m. CT, Saturday, Dec. 7, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will broadcast on ABC with Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (reporter) and Laura Rutledge (reporter) on the call. ESPN's College GameDay will be airing live from Atlanta from 8-11 a.m. Saturday hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities.
