How special is Zachariah Branch? Consider all the players compared to him
Zachariah Branch made his USC debut a spectacular and memorable one.
It’s hard to make more of an impression than Branch did in his first game as a Trojan. A 96-yard kickoff return and a 25-yard touchdown is quite a one-two punch for a first game as a college freshman. Branch electrified the Los Angeles Coliseum and had USC fans singing his praises.
When a great football player plays on the offensive line, fans appreciate the consistency and quality, but the whole point of an offensive lineman is to make sure the skill players can make the dazzling plays. A freshman offensive lineman having a great debut will be noticed by the coaches on film, but it doesn’t jump off the page the way it does for other players on a team.
It will always be more of a story when a freshman kick returner and receiver has a splashy debut, because fans can see the excellence in a much more obvious — and dazzling — way. So it was for Zachariah Branch.
One of the many signs Branch’s performance resonated so deeply is the number of great college football players he was compared to in his first USC game. Just one game had Branch associated with great players from Pac-12 football history.
We have proof of these comparisons, so sit back and enjoy:
DEANTHONY THOMAS, OREGON
#USC RUSH Jamil Muhammad said Zachariah Branch reminds him of DeAnthony Thomas.
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) August 27, 2023
ADOREE JACKSON, USC
#USC had some bad special teams units back in 2016, but Adoree Jackson made up for it with his ridiculous plays.
Too early to tell how good or bad the Trojans special teams will be this season, but Zachariah Branch will make up for a lot of shortcomings.
— Ryan Abraham (@insidetroy) August 27, 2023
MARQISE LEE, USC
zachariah branch has big marqise lee vibes, a truly terrifying player
— carlos: a pac-12 mourner (@equitybruin) August 27, 2023
ROBERT WOODS, USC
Makai Lemon and Zachariah Branch about to be the best WR duo at USC since Marqise Lee and Robert Woods. #FightOn ✌🏿
— It’s Football Szn, bruh… (@K_Marcel_) December 21, 2022
PERCY HARVIN, FLORIDA
Zachariah Branch looking like the next Percy Harvin 😭
— Randy 🦭 (@RandyRizzo_) August 28, 2023
ROCKET ISMAIL, NOTRE DAME
Watching Zachariah Branch last night was fascinating at many levels. His Poise, His Patience, His Explosiveness, His Creativity, His Ability to Separate from Defenders… His Toughness and Sheer Joy of The Game are Amazing! I had a real "Rocket Ismail Vibe" goin' All Night Long!
— mark allen harris (@harrisallenmark) August 28, 2023
DESEAN JACKSON, CAL
I barely mentioned Zachariah Branch for USC…but he's clearly a difference-maker
The stud freshman put up 23 DK pts at $4700
Stat line of 4 rec, 58 rec yds, rec TD, 12 rush yds and this kickoff return TD…Dude looks like Percy Harvin or DeSean Jacksonhttps://t.co/5jip1nrIgU
— Dan Servodidio (@dan_servodidio) August 27, 2023
TYREEK HILL, OKLAHOMA STATE
Zachariah branch next tyreek
— Ben Nguyen (@BenNguyen12) August 27, 2023
JOE MCKNIGHT, USC
Thinking about Zachariah Branch's debut last night, trying to think of USC players who had that kind of speed and open field ability
Reggie Bush obviously is at the top of that pyramid, Joe McKnight, Adoree Jackson are the 3 that come to mind
— Red Scott 🏈 (@red_scott_fb) August 27, 2023
REGGIE BUSH, USC
"I think he's the best quarterback we've seen in the past decade"
—@aaronmurray11 heaps praise on Caleb Williams and calls Zachariah Branch "the next coming of Reggie Bush" after USC's big win ✌️ #FightOn pic.twitter.com/UhkBcATreM
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) August 27, 2023
