Key Clemson Tigers Offensive Unit Named to Midseason Award Honor Roll

The Clemson Tigers’ offensive line is considered one of the best in college football midway through the season.

Aug 31, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Clemson offensive lineman Marcus Tate (74) before the 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game with University of Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers’ offensive line was one of 22 units selected to the 2024 Joe Moore Award’s midseason honor roll on Thursday.

The award is given to the top offensive line in college football.

The Tigers (4-1, 3-0 in ACC) are tied at the top of the conference standings as they go into Saturday’s game with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

The unit, coached by Matt Drinkall, features juniors or seniors at the top of the depth chart at all five offensive line positions — left tackle Tristan Leigh, left guard Marcus Tate, center Ryan Linthicum, right guard Walker Parks and right tackle Blake Miller. Tate was recently named the ACC offensive lineman of the week for his work against Florida State last week.

The line has been an integral part of Clemson’s four-game winning streak. Entering Saturday’s game, the Tigers have averaged 48 points in their last four games.

Behind this group, the Tigers have averaged 196.4 rushing yards per game, which is third most in the ACC. It’s also allowed quarterback Cade Klubnik to emerge as a dangerous ball carrier on both designed runs and scrambles.

Along with that, the Tigers are one of eight teams with at least three games of 250 or more rushing yards. That includes two in ACC action. Plus, Tigers ball carriers are averaging 2.99 yards before contact per rush, which is the best in the ACC and sixth-best in the country.

The line has committed just four penalties in five games, which is tied for ninth-fewest in FBS.

In the passing game, Klubnik could end up with the best season of his career and the offensive line has protected him so well that he’s been sacked just four times in five games.

The award is named for 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. He sent 52 players to the NFL, including Bill Fralic, Mark May, Russ Grimm and Jimbo Covert.

The Joe Moore Award voting committee will announce its semifinalists on Nov. 12 and its finalists on Dec. 3. The committee is made up of former NFL offensive linemen, former college and pro head coaches, along with college and pro football media analysts.

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.