'25 WR Zachariah Branch (Georgia commit🤮)

[Visidog]

Is it going to be an issue if I actually get back to discussing Zachariah Branch here?

If you go back to a thread I started in early Sept of 2023 I proclaimed ZB to be the best player in CFB after seeing him in the Polynesian Bowl with Nico and then his first college game at USC against St Jose State. The speed, the elusiveness, etc, was amazing to me and I had him pegged as Reggie Bush Jr. In retrospect, what I should‘ve said is he was the most explosive player in CFB and I really believed it. However, now I scratch my head wondering why a solid offensive football mind like Lincoln Riley couldn’t get more out of ZB in his 2 years at USC. Hell, they primarily used him as a decoy more than anything else.

i still don’t doubt his physical abilities, but can ZB learn an offense? is he a slacker at practice? Does his ego get in the way of him being a great player? Just how is it he’s not been more productive the first 2 years of CFB?

Again, I believe ZB is an amazing athlete and maybe the light—unfortunately—comes on at UGA, but I can’t help but think there’s something missing that’s holding him back.

I think this is more than fair on the production issue. I’d like to say that USC had QB issues this last year that held ZB back a bit, but… UGA will have a new starter at QB. Will it be better?

I doubt it’s work ethic. Kirby Smart is notoriously hard on WRs when it comes to work rate and blocking. That’s all over the film. He’s at least expecting to work.

UGA brought him over on athletic potential. He’s explosive with the ball in his hands, and we need somebody to run the crosser/deep over part of the route tree, and I think ZB can also run burner go routes. He has great shift for screens as well. Will that stuff materialize?

I can understand the business case for ponying up for him, but there are no sure things. The perfect transfer is like Hendon Hooker: a high level athlete on a team that (for whatever reason) is not unlocking his potential. But those are rare. There’s usually some problems with the old team and some issues the transferring player need to work through.

 

[EJVOL4LIFE]

Let this thread rest. He doesn't play for us so leave him for the dawgs!!