USC OL Justin Dedich powers through placement on the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

USC center and captain Justin Dedich's name has been added to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list, which honors college football players who partake in community service.

A statement announcing the shortlist explained why he has been nominated.

“Throughout his time at USC, Dedich has been very active in a variety of philanthropic endeavors including feeding the hungry throughout the Los Angeles community and spending time with sick children in the hospital.”

The name of the overall winner will be announced in December at the Home Depot College Football Awards.

The trophy is named after former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who also won the Heisman trophy in 1996. He inspired future prospects to make use of their elevated position in society to help the less fortunate.

Last season, Justin Dedich received an honorable mention in All-Pac-12, was an All-American third team, and ranked seventh amongst the nation's ranked guards.

A controversy had sparked when he was passed over for an All-Pac-12 first-team selection due to the carry job he performed for them alongside star quarterback Caleb Williams last season.

USC and Justin Dedich's season expectations

USC seems to be on the route to recovery after a forgettable 2021 season wherein they had only won four games. Last season, they finished with a staggering record of 11-3.

USC faced an end-of-season collapse last season when they lost the Cotton Bowl to Tulane and were on the end of a beating by Utah in the conference championship game.

Coach Lincoln Riley has been active in the transfer portal over the past two years; he has been trying to find the right ingredients to make USC a powerhouse once again.

He has added Anthony Lucas from Texas A&M, Jack Sullivan from Purdue, Emmanuel Pregnon from Wyoming, and Deuce Palmer from Southern Methodist University to his roster.

Riley also managed to convince the highest-rated defensive prospect in the 2023 class, Braylan Shelby, to join the Trojans.

Riley will also have the likes of Heisman Trophy holder Caleb Williams to rely on as well. USC's offense was its best weapon last season, averaging 41.4 points per game.

Hopefully, the current team will secure a college football playoff spot and win the conference championship game.

The favorites, Trojans, will challenge Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide or Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs for the national championship.

This is USC and Justin Dedich's last season in the Pac-12 before departing for the Big Ten, and they will want to leave with a bang.