Baker Mayfield is not pleased with one national award, and it’s not even one he’s up for.
The Joe Moore Award has been handed out annually since 2015 and honors the nation’s top offensive line. Wednesday, the three finalists for the 2017 award were announced -- Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame.
The fact that his Oklahoma line wasn’t recognized even as a finalist didn’t sit well with a “dumbfounded” Mayfield, who took to Twitter to blast the what he considered to be a blasphemous exclusion of that Sooners unit.
Not having OUr offensive line as a finalist for the best in the country is blasphemy. I'm dumbfounded as to how you can actually leave them out of that conversation. Actually watch the games and see who dominates every game. It's a shame my boys don't get the credit they deserve.
— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) November 29, 2017
That being said... even though they won't win the award. I would never pick anybody else. I know who the best O Linemen in the country are. They live in Norman.
— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) November 29, 2017
The award’s website states that "[t]he voting committee is comprised of college football experts, especially people who played or coached the offensive line position, including all of the current offensive line coaches at the Division I/FBS level as well as former players, coaches, colleagues of Coach Moore and select media.” As for criteria, the award “annually recognizes the nation’s Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit that best displays toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and ‘finishing.’”
The three finalists are all in the Top 20 nationally in rushing yards per game (Oklahoma is 25th) while Notre Dame and Alabama are third and seventh, respectively, in yards per carry (OU is 11th, Auburn 31st). Mayfield is likely protective of his line because they are very protective of him, giving up just one sack for every 18.7 pass attempts; Auburn (11.3), Notre Dame (12.4) and Alabama (12.5) lag far behind Baker’s boys in that category.