USC standout Zachariah Branch becomes a two-sport athlete after joining track & field team for Trojans

Zachariah Branch emerged as a tantalizing prospect in the college football world last season with the USC Trojans. The 19-year-old return specialist and wide receiver showcased his incredible speed and agility on the field for the Trojans. Now, Branch is looking to take this talent for his university to the track.

According to an announcement made by USC on Thursday, Zachariah Branch is now joining the University's Track & Field team, apart from being a part of the Trojans football roster. Thus, he and wide receiver Duce Robinson became the two players on the roster to become two-sport athletes in college.

Branch ran Track & Field during his high school days with Bishop Gorman High School. As a high school sophomore, he won state championships in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash while recording incredible times of 10.43 and 21.14 seconds respectively. He then decided to focus on becoming a football player which led to him being a top recruit in the 2023 recruiting class.

With the Track & Field outdoor season to start next month, Zachariah Branch will now have to balance his commitment to participating in spring football practices while also showcasing his speed on the track.

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Zachariah Branch's CFB career so far

In his debut freshman season last year, the 19-year-old left quite an impression with his agility and his incredible speed. As a return specialist, Branch ran back 24 kickoffs for 442 yards, while also running back 15 punts for 332 yards and one touchdown. He also put up decent numbers in the wide receiver position, compiling 320 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns for the USC Trojans.

To commemorate his successful freshman campaign, Branch was selected as a First-Team All-American and also the First-Team All-Pac-12 honors. Apart from this, he also won the 2023 Jet Award which is given to the top return specialist in college football during a season. It will be interesting to see how Zachariah Branch performs in the upcoming season as the USC Trojans become members of the Big 10 Conference.