Tag: Preseason All-Pac 12

USC’s Justin Dedich snubbed in All-Pac-12 First Team selections

Dedich is unquestionably an elite O-lineman. He has a point to prove after being left off the preseason All – #Pac12 First Team. #USC

The reality was and is obvious: Justin Dedich is an elite offensive lineman. He was part of a strong starting five which — when healthy — was part of a Star Wars offense. He helped Caleb Williams win the Heisman Trophy. He helped USC win 11 games with a deficient defense. Notably and crucially within the context of this discussion, his injury against Oregon State coincided with USC’s worst offensive performance of the season.

By any measurement, Dedich was as good as it gets in the Pac-12 last year among offensive linemen. He chose to come back for a 2023 season.

This should have been an absolute slam-dunk choice for preseason All-Pac-12 First Team offensive lineman in 2023.

Nope. Dedich was relegated to the second team, one of the more conspicuous snubs of the All-Pac-12 preseason selections.

USC fans and insiders know this was one of the more jarring revelations from the All-Pac-12 teams, but they also know it’s a great way to crush any inclinations toward complacency or overconfidence heading into the Trojans’ last Pac-12 season.

If people in the Pac-12 are going to doubt Justin Dedich, he and his fellow USC offensive linemen will have a response to that on the field this fall.

Dedich will have the final say, not anyone else.

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Preseason All-Pac-12 Second Team defense: No USC D-linemen make the cut

No #USC O-linemen on the All- #Pac12 First Team. No USC D-linemen on the first or second teams. USC’s line play is being doubted. #Motivation

Message sent. The people who decide on the preseason All-Pac-12 rosters doubt USC’s line play this year.

The preseason All-Pac-12 First Team roster did not have a single USC Trojan on the offensive line. The Trojans have Justin Dedich, Jonah Monheim, and Jarrett Kingston, and none of them were named to the first team. There wasn’t room for all three, but the fact that they got completely shut out is certainly a surprise. That offensive line was terrific last year in support of Caleb Williams. If the line suffered, it was only because Andrew Vorhees and Courtland Ford were hurt for much of the year, with Vorhees being the main injury. Depth was still an issue at times. The starting offensive line, however, was fantastic when it was on the field. Dedich not making the 2023 preseason first team is, frankly, a joke.

Now turn to the All-Pac-12 Second Team. We have more skepticism about USC’s line play, this time on defense. It’s a little more understandable that no USC defensive linemen made the second team, because everyone is waiting for Alex Grinch to put the pieces together here, with help from Shaun Nua. Nevertheless, it’s notable that Bear Alexander, Anthony Lucas, Kyon Barrs, and the rest of the defensive line were snubbed.

Clearly, USC’s line play is being doubted. Guys simply have to step up and make a loud statement this season about their true quality.

Here is the preseason All-Pac-12 Second Team defense for 2023, followed by the specialists and kick returners:

USC has several preseason All-Pac-12 selections, but doesn’t dominate

Preseason All – #Pac12 teams were released on Tuesday. Zero #USC O-linemen made first team. #BulletinBoardMaterial

The preseason All-Pac-12 football teams were announced on Tuesday. Of course USC had several selections and was represented on both the first and second teams, but the Trojans’ representation on the first team was not as substantial or pervasive as some had expected.

We will give you the full first team below, but there’s one significant story to be told: USC’s offensive line did not have one player on the first team. There is undeniably prime offensive line talent throughout the Pac-12. Oregon State has a high-quality offensive line, as does Utah. The Beavers and Utes certainly deserve to have representation there, and we’re not going to suggest or imply they don’t. The idea that OSU and Utah deserve more first-team selections than USC does is not particularly objectionable or controversial. Oregon State won 10 games last year with basically no quarterback because its offensive line was truly elite. If the Beavers had an above-average quarterback in 2022, they probably would have made the Pac-12 Championship Game.

What we are noting is not that Oregon State and Utah had more selections than USC on the offensive line; we’re noting that USC had zero first-team selections.

Really? Really?

Fine: USC’s offensive line just got a huge source of motivation going into the season. Josh Henson doesn’t really have to say a whole lot to his position group. Those guys have top-grade bulletin board material. They will relish road-grading every defensive line they see this year.

Okay, enough preamble. Let’s open the envelope and disclose the preseason All-Pac-12 First Team, part of the final All-Pac-12 teams of USC’s existence in the Pac-12 Conference: