USC Senior Tight End Talks Adversity and Injury Struggles

The redshirt senior is primed to stay healthy and showcase his skills in 2023

We’re less than two weeks away from the start of the 2023 season, Trojan fans. The Trojans will look to dominate and show they belong in the short list of national championship contenders. 

It will be a long-whining road for USC, but hopefully, it ends in triumph. All hands will be on deck, and luckily they will get some reinforcement they missed in 2022. One player ready to make his mark is Southern California native tight end Jude Wofle. 

Wolfe only appeared in the last three games of the 2022 season after recovering from a foot injury that kept him out most of the season. He is now ready to prove he can stay healthy and contribute in a big way to the Trojans

Wolfe spoke to the media after practice this past week and reflected on the injuries and his mindset through overcoming them. 

“There are some things that are just out of your control,” Wolfe said after practice Thursday. “These freak accidents are tough to deal with, but I’ve worked my tail off to get back, and I’m really excited for this season.”

“There’s a lot of personal development and mental growth that happens,” Wolfe said. “You get challenged a lot. It’s tough. Everyday you have to show up with the same mentality that you want to get better, you want to stay healed. There are certainly times where you feel down and you might have a setback, but it’s important to stay positive, attack every day with a good attitude and things will work out.”

(via 247Sports)

Wolfe has only appeared in 22 games, with one start in the span of four seasons. He's had two major foot injuries in his time at USC. 

In his freshman season, he only saw action in four games as he was dealing with a back injury. In his sophomore year, he broke his left foot, only appearing in four games. His junior season was when he saw the gridiron a lot, appearing in 11 games, only missing one due to health and safety protocols. 

It's been a long road for the tight end, but he now hopes to be a part of this high-powered offense. Jude stands at 6'5", 240 pounds, and will be competing for the starting role along with threes in Lake McRee, Carson Tabaracci, and Kade Eldridge. 

For Wolfe, there's only one thing on his mind: staying healthy. 

“My goal for a few years now has been to be able to play in every game, to participate as much as I can,” he said. “That’s certainly the goal this year. I think I can do it.”

(via 247Sports)