Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
Photo by: John McGillen
USC’s Zachariah Branch Named to Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Watch List
September 26, 2024 | Football
LOS ANGELES--USC First Team All-American Zachariah Branch has been named to the 2024 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Watch List, today (Sept. 26).
The award is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly's Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten's SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 16 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the two states.
This season, Branch has tallied 14 receptions for 173 yards (12.4 avg.) through 3 games with 1 start. He has also recorded 5 punt returns for 23 yards (4.6 avg.) and 2 kickoff returns for 63 yards (31.5 avg.).
Off the field, Branch and his brother Zion (who is a redshirt sophomore safety on the USC football team) created the "Branch Out Foundation". The foundation is "dedicated to the support of youth initiatives including homelessness, after-school programs, health and wellness as well as other charitable causes." The foundation focuses on assisting the communities of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where the Branch family is from.
Throughout his short time at USC, Branch has made it a priority to launch himself into various philanthropic activities.
He has worked with Midnight Mission, a Los Angeles organization focused on providing "the necessities of life to offer a bridge to self-sufficiency for people experiencing homelessness through food, shelter, clothing, personal hygiene needs, medical care, recovery services, counseling, education, training, workforce development and continued care services." Branch volunteered with the charity feeding the homeless and providing meals.
He has volunteered at the Challengers and Wilmington Boys and Girls Clubs in Los Angeles. Branch also participated in a shoe drive at John W. Mack Elementary School with the goal of providing underprivileged students with the proper shoes to feel comfortable and confident when stepping on campus.
He had a stellar debut season as a true freshman in 2023. He is USC's first-ever true freshman First Team All-American, after being named a USA Today First Team All-American as a returner, a PFF First Team All-American as a return specialist and a Sporting News First Team All-American as a punt returner. Branch was also named to the Walter Camp All-American Second Team and the FWAA All-American Second Team as a kick returner. He was the only freshman to earn placement on either of those teams.
Additionally, he was named a Sports Illustrated Second Team All-American as a kick returner, a FOX Sports Second Team All-American as a kick returner, an Action Sports Second Team All-American as an all-purpose player, Phil Steele All-American Second Team as a specialist, a CBS Sports Honorable Mention All-American as a wide receiver/punt returner, a Sports Info Solutions All-American Second Teamer as a returner, a College Football News Honorable Mention Freshman All-American as a wide receiver, the College Football Network Freshman Specialist of the Year as a punt returner, a College Football Network Freshman All-American, a FWAA Freshman All-American, The Athletic First Team Freshman All-American, an All-Pac-12 First Teamer as a return specialist, an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention as an all-purpose/special teams player, AP All-Pac-12 Second Teamer, and a Phil Steele All-Pac-12 First Teamer as a punt returner. He also won the Jet Award which is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding return specialist. During the season, he was also named to The Sporting News and ESPN Midseason All-American Teams.
In 2023, he collected 31 catches for 320 yards (10.3 avg.) with a long of 36 yards and scored 2 TDs. Branch also rushed for 70 yards on 9 carries (7.8 avg.) with a long of 21 yards and scored 1 TD. As USC's return specialist, he tallied 442 yards on 24 kickoff returns (18.4 avg.) with a long of 96 yards and running one back for a TD. He also recorded 332 yards on 16 punt returns (30.8 avg.) with a long of 75 yards, also running one back for a TD. He saw action in 11 games (all but Colorado and Arizona) while starting 9. 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 one 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 one 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 TDs). Branch finished the season as the 2023 national statistical leader for punt returns (20.8).
Twenty semifinalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will be announced on Oct. 22. Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, Dec. 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Feb. 12, 2025.
The award is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly's Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten's SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 16 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the two states.
This season, Branch has tallied 14 receptions for 173 yards (12.4 avg.) through 3 games with 1 start. He has also recorded 5 punt returns for 23 yards (4.6 avg.) and 2 kickoff returns for 63 yards (31.5 avg.).
Off the field, Branch and his brother Zion (who is a redshirt sophomore safety on the USC football team) created the "Branch Out Foundation". The foundation is "dedicated to the support of youth initiatives including homelessness, after-school programs, health and wellness as well as other charitable causes." The foundation focuses on assisting the communities of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where the Branch family is from.
Throughout his short time at USC, Branch has made it a priority to launch himself into various philanthropic activities.
He has worked with Midnight Mission, a Los Angeles organization focused on providing "the necessities of life to offer a bridge to self-sufficiency for people experiencing homelessness through food, shelter, clothing, personal hygiene needs, medical care, recovery services, counseling, education, training, workforce development and continued care services." Branch volunteered with the charity feeding the homeless and providing meals.
He has volunteered at the Challengers and Wilmington Boys and Girls Clubs in Los Angeles. Branch also participated in a shoe drive at John W. Mack Elementary School with the goal of providing underprivileged students with the proper shoes to feel comfortable and confident when stepping on campus.
He had a stellar debut season as a true freshman in 2023. He is USC's first-ever true freshman First Team All-American, after being named a USA Today First Team All-American as a returner, a PFF First Team All-American as a return specialist and a Sporting News First Team All-American as a punt returner. Branch was also named to the Walter Camp All-American Second Team and the FWAA All-American Second Team as a kick returner. He was the only freshman to earn placement on either of those teams.
Additionally, he was named a Sports Illustrated Second Team All-American as a kick returner, a FOX Sports Second Team All-American as a kick returner, an Action Sports Second Team All-American as an all-purpose player, Phil Steele All-American Second Team as a specialist, a CBS Sports Honorable Mention All-American as a wide receiver/punt returner, a Sports Info Solutions All-American Second Teamer as a returner, a College Football News Honorable Mention Freshman All-American as a wide receiver, the College Football Network Freshman Specialist of the Year as a punt returner, a College Football Network Freshman All-American, a FWAA Freshman All-American, The Athletic First Team Freshman All-American, an All-Pac-12 First Teamer as a return specialist, an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention as an all-purpose/special teams player, AP All-Pac-12 Second Teamer, and a Phil Steele All-Pac-12 First Teamer as a punt returner. He also won the Jet Award which is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding return specialist. During the season, he was also named to The Sporting News and ESPN Midseason All-American Teams.
In 2023, he collected 31 catches for 320 yards (10.3 avg.) with a long of 36 yards and scored 2 TDs. Branch also rushed for 70 yards on 9 carries (7.8 avg.) with a long of 21 yards and scored 1 TD. As USC's return specialist, he tallied 442 yards on 24 kickoff returns (18.4 avg.) with a long of 96 yards and running one back for a TD. He also recorded 332 yards on 16 punt returns (30.8 avg.) with a long of 75 yards, also running one back for a TD. He saw action in 11 games (all but Colorado and Arizona) while starting 9. 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 one 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 one 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 TDs). Branch finished the season as the 2023 national statistical leader for punt returns (20.8).
Twenty semifinalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will be announced on Oct. 22. Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, Dec. 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Feb. 12, 2025.
USC WR Tanook Hines | USC defeats Michigan State, 45-31
Sunday, September 21
USC Football vs Michigan State Post Game Press Conference | Trojans Win 45-31
Sunday, September 21
USC DE Braylan Shelby | USC defeats Michigan State, 45-31
Sunday, September 21
USC SNP Hank Pepper | USC defeats Michigan State, 45-31
Sunday, September 21
