Practice Report: USC Football Names 2022 Team Captains

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By: Keely Eure, Director of Creative Content and Team Reporter






Autumn Tuesday Rice Week

Soccer | August 30, 2022

The four Trojan faces that will walk to the Coliseum 50-yard line for Saturday’s draw against Rice are no longer a mystery. offensive lineman justin dedichQuarterback Caleb Williamslinebacker Shane Leeand defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu were elected team captains by their teammates, head coach lincoln riley announced on Tuesday (Aug 30).

“It was by a pretty significant margin,” Riley explained. “The team clearly sees those four as the guys that they want to represent them. It’s a huge honor for them. That’s something none of them take lightly.”

Dedich, a redshirt senior, has battled for playing time throughout his career as a Trojan. He enters the 2022 season with a “C” embroidered on his jersey and with his sights set on starting at right guard.

“It’s very cliche, but it’s kind of like ‘trusting the process,'” Dedich shared. “I accepted that and never felt detached from the team. I always felt like I was contributing.”

While USC captains vary in age, hometown and position group, the common bond between them is consistency.

“Just every day, whether you feel like it or not, you have to come, you have to bring the juice,” Dedich said. “It’s about constantly bringing the energy and making sure the team is ready. Serving them, putting away the trash, doing all the little things right.”

The Trojans echoed the same sentiment when describing defensive lineman Tuipulotu.

“Nothing is ever lost,” Riley said of the junior captain. “He always shows up and he’s always ready to compete. You can tell our whole football team feeds off of him. So he’s vitally important.”

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Riley highlighted how Tuipulotu, once a shy player on the team, is learning to use his voice as a leader. However, that’s not the only growth expected from the defensive lineman this year.

“You watch some of the tape from his previous years, he’s an awesome guy. But he can play a lot better,” Riley said. “If we take what he’s done on Saturdays to this point of what he can do, we think there’s a big gap.”

USC Rice Week Tuesday Practice Notes:

  • lincoln riley shared his scouting report on Rice, the Trojans’ first opponent in the 2022 season.


    • “Good group. They’ve played some extremely competitive games. Defensively, it’s going to be one of the most experienced groups we’ll play all year. Lots of returning starters, especially up front and back.”

    • “It’s a quality soccer team coming here and it’s a first game. So we know the level of competition we’re going to face and we’re going to have to be ready to play.”


  • Riley noticed how the defensive back Max Williams is a versatile piece of the USC secondary:

    • “He’s a guy that both physically and mentally can handle it. We’ve represented him in nickel, we’ve represented him both in safety. [positions]. He can really do the most for us in the secondary, so it’s been nice to have that piece to move around and work out some different combinations.”

  • Williams shared her experience cross-training at multiple positions throughout the spring and fall.


    • “I was on reps in safety all camp, I only got to know every spot in the secondary because the top five guys are going to play.”

    • “I don’t really have a preference. I love being on the pitch, whether it’s in the box, whether it’s playing cover, whether it’s in the posts. I enjoy it all.”

  • Even though only four captains were named, Dedich shared that there are many more leaders on the Trojans’ roster.


    • “Boys like [Andrew] vorhees, [Malcolm] eps, Calen Bullock – a young one. A lot of guys could have been captains… None of us are above the other. We are there for them. And they are there for us. So we have to be a player-led team, make sure this works for the season.”

Tuesday media availability:





New numbers to know:

  • defensive lineman Nick Figueroawho used to wear number 50, now wears 99. The redshirt senior wore that number during his time in college.

  • defensive back Bryson Shawwho transferred from Ohio State as a redshirt junior this summer, wears 27.

  • real freshman runner Raleek Brown wear number 14.

  • wide receiver michael jackson iiiwho previously wore the number 13, now wears the number 9.

  • wide receiver jordan addison it bears the number 3, once retired, after Trojan legend Carson Palmer gave his blessing.

  • Red Shirt Senior Defensive Lineman solomon byrdwho transferred from Wyoming this summer, dons No. 51.

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