Joe Moore Award Partnered With Johnsonville
The college football honor for offensive line units has secured a new sponsorship deal for the upcoming 2026 season.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Football
The Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive line in college football, has officially partnered with Johnsonville for the 2026 season. The collaboration aligns the award with a brand that values the core principles of teamwork and unit alignment.
Why it matters
Established by founder Aaron Taylor in 2015, the award seeks to preserve the legacy of renowned offensive line coach Joe Moore. This partnership highlights the increasing recognition of positional units in an era historically dominated by individual player honors.
The award program oversees one of 26 total college football honors and maintains a legacy tied to coach Joe Moore, who coached for 18 seasons and mentored 52 future NFL players. The total number of past winners is limited, with only Alabama, Michigan, and Iowa having secured the award twice.
The players
Aaron Taylor
He is the founder of the Joe Moore Award and conceptualized the honor to celebrate offensive line excellence.
Joe Moore
He was a distinguished offensive line coach at Notre Dame who remains the namesake for the college football award.
Johnsonville
This company is a sausage brand that has signed on as a partner for the 2026 college football season.
The details
Aaron Taylor created the award to spotlight the unsung offensive line groups that often go overlooked in favor of individual accolades. Joe Moore served as the offensive line coach at Notre Dame from 1988 until 1996 and passed away in 2003.
Timeline
Joe Moore coached at Notre Dame between 1988 and 1996.
The namesake coach passed away in 2003.
Aaron Taylor conceived the award in June 2015.
Alabama claimed the inaugural award in 2015.
Johnsonville began its partnership for the 2026 season.
Season Trajectory
The introduction of a major commercial partner marks a shift in how niche positional awards manage their growth in the modern college football landscape. This move follows the pattern set by the 2015 establishment of the Joe Moore Award in elevating the profile of offensive line play relative to individual skill-position honors.
The partnership elevates the visibility of the Joe Moore Award, which remains a key metric for evaluating elite offensive line play throughout the season. This sponsorship provides the administrative resources to continue the award's mission as teams like Iowa and Alabama compete for the trophy.
The takeaway
The Joe Moore Award demonstrates that unit-based recognition can successfully carve out space in a sports culture traditionally focused on individual stars. Supporting foundational roles in football allows for a more comprehensive appreciation of team dynamics and technical execution.
Further reading
For more background on the collegiate game, see our coverage of Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by On3.
