"No matter what the score was, if this was a three-point game, if it was a 28-point game, if it was a 50-point game, there's gonna be that climb to the next step," head coach Lincoln Riley said postgame."And that's where our focus is gonna stay. A lot of work to do, and we're the right people to get it done."
Branch, who arrived on campus in the spring, had attracted rave reviews from his teammates throughout fall camp, but it was unclear how much playing time or impact he would have. After just one game, Branch can lay claim to one of the most electric debuts in USC football history and a role that should continue to grow.
USC's Zachariah Branch had 232 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns on just nine touches Saturday, including a dazzling 96-yard kickoff return for a score. The 19-year-old from Bishop Gorman High School began his career by catching a pass from Williams in the third quarter and bursting his way into the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown.
Branch's kickoff return for a touchdown was the first for a USC true freshman since Adoree' Jackson in the 2014 Holiday Bowl -- fitting, given that there are plenty of similarities between the two players. Both are listed as wide receivers but are borderline position-less, utilizing incredible speed and agility to outmatch defenses, be it by catching the ball, running it, or taking off on kickoffs and punts.