Injury Will Keep USC Tight End Jude Wolfe Out for Part of this Season
The USC Trojans will be without tight end Jude Wolfe for the foreseeable future due to an injury. Head coach Lincoln Riley said following Friday’s fall camp practice that Wolfe will undergo a medical procedure on his injured left foot. Wolfe is likely to miss the first part of the season, according to Riley.
This is a tough blow for both Wolfe and the USC offense. Injuries continue to cause issues for Wolfe in his USC career. He was slowed during his first spring ball as a true freshman in 2019 due to a back injury. Wolfe broke his left foot during the fourth game of the 2020 season and missed the final two. He was finally healthy for the first 11 games of the 2021 season and collected eight receptions for 56 yards.
It looked early on as though Wolfe had found a home at the H-back position for the Trojans under Riley. It’s a vital spot in this offensive scheme and plays a big role in both the running and passing games.
Wolfe attended practice earlier this week in a walking boot. He was at Friday’s practice on a motorized cart.
Riley said they hope to have Wolfe back for the second half of the season.
Wolfe has played in 19 games with one start for the Trojans. He has 10 receptions for 61 yards in his career.
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USC’s Tight End Options
USC tight ends will need to step up in order to fill in the sizable gap the Jude Wolfe injury creates. Malcolm Epps and tight end coach Zach Hanson have said all the tight ends play both the H-back and Y roles. So the group can mix and match moving forward.
Epps is a likely starter for the Trojans, but this opens up an opportunity for Lake McRee, Ethan Rae and Josh Falo to step up. McRee might have the best chance to see the field in Wolfe’s place. He had a very promising true freshman season in 2021. McRee finished with seven receptions for 91 yards. More importantly, he showed toughness, a willingness to block and a feel for the game that are all necessary for the H-back spot.
Rae and Falo have dealt with a number of different injury issues during their USC careers. Though, Falo did make an impressive play earlier this fall camp to show that his physical abilities are still there.
