USC WR Zachariah Branch joins track and field team

USC wide receiver Zachariah Branch is joining the Trojans’ track and field team, the program announced Thursday. He burst onto the scene in 2023 as a kickoff returner, showing off the speed he will now take to the track.

Branch ran track at Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High School, winning the 100-meter and 200-meter dash state championships as a sophomore with times of 10.43 and 21.14 seconds, respectively. He also starred in the long jump as he recorded a personal best of 24 feet as he won a title in that event, as well. However, he shifted his focus to football, as he became a top-rated recruit.

As a freshman on the USC football team in 2023, Branch ran back 24 kickoffs for 442 yards and a kickoff return in his collegiate debut. He also ran back 15 punts for 332 yards and a touchdown, and his 22.13 yards per return led the nation. Branch also put up solid numbers at wide receiver, hauling in 31 receptions for 320 yards and two touchdowns while adding 70 yards and a rushing touchdown on the ground.

Branch earned a long list of honors as part of his electric freshman season, including first team All-America and All-Pac-12 team selections. He was also a way-too-early All-American for the 2024 season, according to ESPN, as he gets his career underway. He also won the Jet Award, given to the nation’s top return specialist.

Now, Branch joins Duce Robinson as USC freshman wide receivers to play multiple sports in college. Robinson is also planning to play on the baseball team, he said during the season.

Branch arrived on campus at USC as a Five Star Plus+ recruit, meaning he was one of the only players ranked by all four major recruiting media companies as a five star. He checked in as the No. 4 overall recruit from the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

USC track and field has participated in three indoor events to start the season with another one coming up Feb. 9-10 at the Eagle Elite Invitational hosted by Boston College. The outdoor season is set to start next month. Of course, Zachariah Branch and the football team are currently preparing for spring practice, and it’ll be interesting to see how he and Robinson balance playing spring sports during that time.