JJ Pegues named to Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list
Oxford’s native son JJ Pegues is the latest Ole Miss player to be added to a preseason watch list for a national award but this one is for his efforts off the field.
On Thursday the Wuerffel Foundation announced Pegues as one of 110 football student-athletes to be named to the Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list. Pegues is the third Ole Miss player to be named to a national award watch list, joining running back Quinshon Judkins and Micah Pettus.
The Wuerffel Trophy, which is presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field. The trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service.
Pegues was already named as a nominee to the 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Last month Pegues hosted the ‘Neighborhood Hero Fun Day’ for the Oxford community where free backpacks were given to the first 40 elementary-aged kids who arrived at the event.
Heavily active in his home town Pegues works within the Lafayette-Oxford-University community, partaking in numerous community service events such as Adopt-A-Basket, Feed the Sip, Reading with the Rebels, the Boys and Girls Club, the CASA of North Mississippi Adopt-A-Child Christmas Program, KD’s Community Fun Event, a water drive to assist the city of Jackson, Mississippi, and multiple efforts to help communities throughout Mississippi affected by devastating tornadoes this past spring.
Related: LIVE! From Ole Miss Media Day: Jared Ivey, Tre Harris, DeShawn Gaddie and Teja Young
Pegues made the decision to transfer from Auburn to Ole Miss last offseason and end his collegiate career in Oxford.
While at Auburn the former Oxford High School standout on offense shifted to the defensive line and adapted well to the change.
In his first year at Ole Miss Pegues finished with 26 tackles and three sacks at the nose tackle position.
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Coming back home to finish up his college career, minutes from where he played high school football, and the ability to give back to his community was not a hard decision to think over for Pegues.
“It means a lot. Just being able to play in back yard and being able to have my family and friends and everyone come watch me,” Pegues told The Ole Miss Spirit during Media Day on Wednesday.
“It was always a dream to play in my back yard because, literally, three minutes away my house. But, I thank God for allowing me to have the opportunity to do this.”
Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 2, and finalists will be announced on Nov. 28. The formal announcement of the 2023 recipient is scheduled to be made on Dec. 7 or Dec. 8 during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN, and the presentation of the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy will take place on Feb. 17, 2024, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. The 2023 recipient will be invited to join Wuerffel in New York City to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremonies, including the press conference, televised announcement show, and the gala.
