Vanderbilt football's offensive line has a clear goal in mind for 2026: the Joe Moore Award.
The award is given to college football's top offensive line every season. In 2025, Vanderbilt was a Joe Moore semifinalist, but the award ultimately went to Iowa.
"Joe Moore Award," guard Cade McConnell said when asked his goals for the season. " ... It's a huge award. That's something we talk about in the o-line room every day is being the best o-line in the country."
The Commodores have been accustomed to turnover in the trenches under Clark Lea, but they've also been adept at reloading through the portal. After losing four starters from last season − Jordan White, Chase Mitchell, Isaia Glass and Bryce Henderson − Vanderbilt brought in more offensive
linemen through the portal but also will look for a step forward from returners.
Those transfers came both from lower levels with Beau Johnson from North Dakota State and Michael Smith from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, as well as the Power Four level with Lyndon Cooper from Pitt and Micah DeBose from Alabama. Clinton Azubuike, Gunner Givens and Orion Irving are three players who were not starters a season ago who are competing for a job now, and there's also Kevo Wesley, back for a seventh year after missing 2025 with injury.
Almost all of the offensive line was also present in the spring, and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis credited that with helping get everyone up to speed.
"The newcomers have blended in well," Klenakis said Aug. 14. "What was really nice is we did a good job of getting portal kids a year ago that were with us last season, even though they weren't in a starting role, they were in reserve roles. They got playing time last year, so they know our process."
McConnell has found his role now playing guard after starting his college career as a center. Wesley is another body on the interior offensive line who is competing for the other guard spot with DeBose, Irving and Givens. At tackle, Johnson figures to take one spot and Azubuike the other. Cooper will step in at center.
When Cooper chose Vanderbilt after stops at NC State and Pitt, he liked the reputation the Commodores have built under Lea, including a 10-win season a year ago. Now, he says, he gets positive reception in public when he wears Vanderbilt gear − even from Tennessee fans.
"I've got Tennessee fans that come up to me and say, Vandy this, Vandy that," Cooper said.
Though he wasn't part of the Joe Moore Award semifinalist offensive line, winning that award is important to Cooper, too.
"Whatever the union did last year, you've got to do it two times, three times better, because the guys were almost there and it wasn't good enough," Cooper said. "So I feel like we play clean, for this offense and for this team to excel, I feel like the offensive line, we have to play dominant football, game in, game out."
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football offensive line has big goal. It wants to win Joe Moore Award
