2022 College Football Awards: Honoring the Big Uglies up front

Dec 6, 2022 - 7:33 AM

We’re rattling off our ballots for the 2022 College Football Awards. If you missed previous installments, we’ve hit on:

• The Chuck Bednarik Defensive PotY
• Jim Thorpe (DB) and Fred Biletnikoff (WR) awards

Today, we’re covering the Large Adult Sons, the linemen.

Outland Trophy

Peter Skoronski (LT, Northwestern).

This is given annually to the nation’s top interior linemen. There were several candidates who stood out this season — a year of excellent OL overall, but only one can win.

We cast our ballot for Peter Skoronski, Northwestern’s first Outland Finalist. The other two finalists simply had more help around them, at better programs, with meaningful games to play for (Olusegun Oluwatimi C Michigan and Calijah Kancey DE Pitt). The 1-11 Northwestern Wildcats played just to compete — and Skoronski never took a day, or a play, off.

He’s been among the nation’s top-graded tackles for three straight seasons, and has been graded out as a Top 10 run blocker. He is tops in the country in pass blocking. He’s allowed just six pressures all season in 480 pass attempts — and has surrendered zero sacks. Peter’s a two-time All-Big Ten producer, and will very likely add a third, as well as All-American honors this season.

When you think of beefy Big Ten maulers, he fits the bill. His hands are like granite; he has a solid base, surprising lateral quickness for his size. And, in this era of taller, lither tackles, he’s is a throwback: an old school, Midwest fat bastard with Giant Polack Strenf (and I say that not out of animus, but with deep love for our last vestiges of MANBALL and the Slavic chonkers who make it possible).

If I were building a Big 10 offensive tackle, Peter Skoronski would be up there.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

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Joe Moore Offensive Line Award

This is presented annually to “the toughest, most physical offensive line in the nation.” I regret to inform you that Alabama did not make the ballot. But, a few teams did — with the real finalists not of any surprise to you: Michigan, Georgia.

And the winner is...

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

These guys.

Stacey Searels has created a monster factory in Central Georgia, and I am deeply jealous.

Georgia was 6th in the nation in TFL allowed, surrendering just 3.54 per game. Against Conference teams they were about 50% better in TFL allowed (4) versus Michigan’s B1G games. The Bulldogs were second in the country in sacks allowed, with a paltry 7, and only allowed 5 sacks in SEC play all year.

They keyed an offense that was 2nd in opponent-adjusted efficiency, 6th in the country in 3rd down %, 2nd in 4th down conversion %, 2nd in rushing scores, 2nd in sack-rate (and tops among all non-option teams), 7th in YPA by the backs — and they had just 28 penalties in 13 games.

It’s hard to find a better offensive line than this one. For my part, I don’t think it’s even particularly close.