Upcoming Event: Football versus Southeast Missouri on September 5, 2026 at Noon
Iowa State University Athletics
Photo by: KL6PHOTO LLC.
Cyclone O-Line Named A Semifinalist For The Joe Moore Award
12.14.2020 | Football
AMES, Iowa – One of the biggest stories from Iowa State's outstanding season on the gridiron has been the stellar play from its young offensive line.
The Cyclones claimed first place in the final Big 12 standings and will be competing in the Big 12 Championship Game, both firsts in school history, behind their extraordinary efforts.
The unit was rewarded today as one of 11 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to the nation's best offensive line.
Heading into the 2020 season, Cyclone offensive line coach Jeff Myers only had two returning starters on the line in junior Colin Newell and sophomore Trevor Downing.
It was going to be a young group, but it got even younger when Downing went down with an injury in the season-opener, a malady that has kept out of the lineup throughout the season.
With four players earning their first career starts (Derek Schweiger, Darrell Simmons, Joey Ramos, Jake Remsburg), and fifth-year senior Sean Foster playing the best football of his career, this group has emerged as a strength of the team.
The Iowa State offense is one of the most prolific in school history thanks to this unit. The Cyclones are on pace to set school marks in scoring offense (34.0), total offense (441.7) and yards per play (6.6). Seven times in nine Big 12 games the Cyclones scored 30+ points, another school record.
Against league teams, ISU averaged 36.2 points and 457.1 yards per game, ranking second in the league in total offense.
Perhaps the biggest improvement ISU has made this season is its rushing offense, and you can thank the men up front and the nation's best running back Breece Hall.
Hall leads the nation in rushing yards (1,357) and 100-yard rushing games (8). Holes develop in the trenches before Hall takes over.
Iowa State's rushing offense is one of the most lethal in the nation. The Cyclones have reached 200 yards rushing in six games and recorded a rushing touchdown in all 10 games, including two or more touchdowns in nine games. ISU's 26 rushing touchdowns leads the Big 12 and ranks 11th nationally.
ISU is averaging 199.9 yards on the ground, second-best in the Big 12, and a whopping 5.4 yards per carry, the best in the league and sixth nationally among teams playing six or more games.
With Rimington Trophy nominee Newell leading the group at center, the line has done a phenomenal job of protecting All-Big 12 quarterback Brock Purdy, who owns or shares 25 school records in his outstanding career.
The Cyclones have only allowed 10 sacks this season, the fewest in the Big 12 and ninth nationally.
Joe Moore Award Semifinalists
Alabama
Buffalo
BYU
Coastal Carolina
Iowa
Iowa State
Kentucky
Louisiana
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Texas A&M
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballJaylen Raynor 4_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
Zaimir Hawk 4_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
Tyler Roehl 2_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
Jesse Bobbit 4_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
