USC's Zachariah Branch Earns Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week

LOS ANGELES—USC freshman wide receiver Zachariah Branch was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in USC's 56-10 victory over Stanford.

This is Branch's first career Pac-12 Player of the Week honor. He is the first Trojan to win this award since kicker Parker Lewis in Week 5 of 2021, and the first USC kick returner to win it since Michael Pittman Jr. in 2017.

Branch continues to impress the college football world with his shifty moves and electric returns. Against Stanford, he returned a punt for a 75-yard TD in the second quarter, recorded 4 receptions for 30 yards and had 1 carry for 2 yards.

THAT'S A BAAAADDD MANN ‼️

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/uXeDB6LIb9
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) September 10, 2023

In USC's first game of the season, he had a 96-yard kickoff return for a TD versus San José State on Aug. 26. Branch has also recorded 2 TD receptions so far in 2023 (1 versus San José State and 1 versus Nevada). He is the first Trojan since Adoree' Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return and kickoff return for a TD, as well as at least 1 receiving TD, in the same season. Jackson had 2 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns for TDs and 1 TD reception during the 2016 season.

Since 1971 (when records are available) Branch is 1 of just 3 USC players to accomplish the feat, joining Jackson and Curtis Conway (1992 – 1 kickoff return TD, 1 punt return TD, 5 rec TD).

On the season, Branch has tallied 9 receptions for 110 yards and 2 TDs, 2 carries for 14 yards, 3 kick returns for 125 yards (including 1 for a 96-yard TD) and 7 punt returns for 158 yards (including 1 for a 75-yard TD).

Branch is currently No. 1 in the nation for combined kick returns (283), tied for No. 1 in the nation in kickoff returns for TDs (1), tied for No. 1 in the nation in punt return TDs (1), No. 5 in the nation in punt returns (22.6) and No. 8 in the nation (No. 1 in the Pac-12) for total touchdowns (4).

Players Mentioned

Zachariah Branch