Zachariah Branch named a semifinalist for Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award
USC true freshman Zachariah Branch quickly announced his presence to the college football world this season. And now the 5-foot-10, 175-pound wide receiver/return specialist is one of the semifinalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.
Branch scored his first college touchdown against San Jose State in the season opener on a 25-yard reception from quarterback Caleb Williams. A few minutes later, he dazzled the Coliseum crowd with a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown.
Branch added another special teams touchdown against Stanford — this one a 75-yard punt return touchdown as he became the third Trojan since 1971 to score touchdowns receiving and on punt and kick returns in the same season. With a rushing touchdown against Utah, he became the first Pac-12 player since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 to score touchdowns in those four ways in the same season.
Through nine games, Branch has 17 receptions for 223 yards and two touchdowns, six carries for 49 yards and a score, 15 punt returns for 309 yards and a touchdown, and 17 kickoff returns for 332 yards and a touchdown.
He leads the nation in combined kick and punt return yards and he’s second in the country in yards per punt return, at 20.6.
Branch is one of 14 semifinalists for this award, which has been given out since 2018. Past winners include Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Memphis running back Kenneth Gainwell, Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.
The semifinalists this season include:
Caleb Downs, Alabama (S)
Javante Mackey, Arkansas State (LB)
T.J. Parker, Clemson (DE)
D’Angelo Ponds, Jamed Madison (CB)
Rueben Bain, Miami (DE)
Kevin Concepcion, NC State (WR)
Nic Anderson, Oklahoma (WR)
Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma (S)
Dillon Thieneman, Purdue (S)
Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina (S)
Anthony Hill, Texas (LB)
Taurean York, Texas A&M (LB)
Zachariah Branch, USC (WR)
Parker Brailsford, Washington (OL)
