ASU O-line is semifinalist for award
Joe Moore Award goes to the country’s top unit
The Arizona State offensive line is in select company.
The unit has been named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award which goes annually to the top offensive line in the country. It is a relatively new award, presented for the first time in 2015.
This season’s other semifinalists are Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Memphis, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Washington State and Wisconsin. Finalists for the award will be named Dec. 4.
“That’s great,” junior center Cohl Cabral said when told of the selection. “We take a lot of pride in doing what we do and the fact that it’s a team award is great. It takes every one of us doing our job.”
The Sun Devils have only allowed 15 sacks this season, which is second in the Pac-12 and tied for 24th among FBS teams. They have five games in which they have not allowed a sack, a program-best for a season.
The unit has paved the way for Eno Benjamin’s record-breaking season. The sophomore has 1,444 rushing yards, already a school-best for the Pac-12 era and just 121 yards shy of the all-time record of 1,565.
The unit is coached by Dave Christensen who is in his first year heading that position after working with the program last year in a non-coaching capacity.
Cabral, a returning starter and one of the team captains, has not allowed a sack. Also playing prominent roles are junior left tackle Zach Robertson, senior right tackle Quinn Bailey, senior left guard Casey Tucker, junior right guard Alex Losoya and junior tight end Tommy Hudson. Junior Steven Miller has rotated in and played considerable minutes as well.
The Joe Moore Award voting committee is made up of 13 individuals who are experts on offensive line play, including former linemen, coaches, talent evaluators and media analysts. This group conducts in-depth analysis by reviewing game tape every week to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of overall line play.
The award is named after a man widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history. He is recognized for his work at Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh. He sent 52 players on to the NFL, most notably Bill Fralic, Mark May, Russ Grimm and Jimbo Covert.
Past winners are Alabama (2015) Iowa (2016) and Notre Dame (2017).
Harry, Benjamin miss out on big awards
Benjamin and junior receiver N’Keal Harry were semifinalists for awards given to the best player in the country at their respective positions but neither was named a finalist.
Those in consideration for the Doak Walker Award going to the top running back are Travis Etienne of Clemson, Darrell Henderson of Memphis and Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin. Benjamin is currently third in country in rushing behind only Henderson and Taylor.
Finalists for the Biletnikoff Award for the top receiver are Andy Isabella of Massachusetts, Jerry Jeudy of Alabama, and Tylan Wallace of Oklahoma State.
Harry has 69 receptions for 1,033 yards and nine touchdowns with a long of 61 yards. He ranks 12th in receiving yards, behind Isabella (first, 1,698) and Wallace (third, 1,344), but ahead of Jeudy (19th, 1,002).
Sun Devils impressed with NFL game
Count ASU players among those who took great interest in Monday’s highscoring NFL game in which the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 54-51 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“That’s the best game I’ve ever seen,” said junior Kobe Williams, a native of Long Beach.
“Me too,” added senior safety Demonte King, another of the Southern California natives on the squad. “We might like defense because we play defense but that was great to watch.”