The transfer portal giveth, and the transfer portal taketh away. So far for the USC Trojans, it has only been taking away, and the latest loss packs quite the punch.
Brothers Zachariah and Zion Branch were always somewhat viewed as a package deal, and now both have decided to enter the Transfer Portal.
Zion was a 4-star recruit in the 2022 class and was 7th overall rated Safety in the class, per On3. Unfortunately, he has struggled to stay healthy during his tenure at USC, but his usage this past season when healthy was a bit peculiar.
With all of the departures in the Trojans’ secondary this season, it was expected for him to have a major role in 2025.
Zachariah was a 5-star recruit in the 2023 class, and the Number 1 rated WR in the country, per On3. He exploded onto the scene as a freshman and was honored as an All-American, as a special teams player.
The expectation for him heading into 2024 was sky-high, and many even thought he could one day compete for the Heisman.
Unfortunately, whether it was due to QB play, the offensive system, the heavy WR rotation, or regression from Zachariah himself, his production did not improve, his speed looked as if it was slowed, and he was never a threat as a return man. In fact, he was replaced by Makai Lemon as the kick returner.
Both players were great Trojans, and still have immense upside. Wherever they end up, they will be considered Day 1 starters.
What Does This Mean For The USC Trojans And The Program
I wrote a few weeks ago that it was very unlikely that all four sophomore WRs would return in 2025, and I felt fairly confident that Branch would enter the portal. The offense just felt off all season, and even when Lincoln Riley attempted to feature Branch in the offense, nothing materialized. He finished the season with 47 receptions, 503 yards, and 1 touchdown.
So what happened? Why the mass exodus of WRs with potentially even more coming?
Without sitting with the players and the coaches, we will never know for sure, but from the outside looking in, I can see a few reasons.
Also Read: USC Trojans 2025 Transfer Portal Tracker
The obvious answer is that the Transfer Portal and NIL have changed everything. We know that, and fans just have to accept that star players transferring is now the norm, not that exception.
But removing these obvious hurdles there are a few other issues.
One, there needs to be a clear vision, for the team and for the individual player. Speaking specifically to the WR room, it felt like that was lacking this year.
As a whole, the USC Trojans had one of the most talented and deep wide receiver rooms in the country. In order to keep everyone happy, there needed to be a plan of how each player would not only help the team but also develop and set themselves up to succeed at the next level.
Now I would assume that the coaching staff did this, but we just never truly saw it on the field, and Zachariah Branch’s struggles this season may have exposed that.
And two, perhaps there were too many mouths to feed.
Wide Receiver is the most dependent position on the field. You really can’t prove your worth without the QB throwing you the football. You can be the most talented guy in the room, but without the ball, good luck getting drafted high.
Last season, the Trojans essentially had six featured receivers, plus Lake McRee at Tight End. This is just my opinion, but it was just too many mouths to feed without a clear plan to feature each guy.
We have certainly seen elite deep receiver rooms in College Football. Just look at Alabama, LSU, and Ohio State over the last decade. But the main difference (aside from the transfer portal and NIL) is that this depth was staggered.
We are diving into hypotheticals here, but staggering top WR commits allowed each one an opportunity to be the featured guy. For example, at LSU, Justin Jefferson was in the 2017 class, Ja’Marr Chase was in the 2018 class, etc. In a way, USC almost hurt itself by having all four elite WRs in one single class.
They can say all the right things, and love going to work every day with all their teammates, but at the end of the day, 500 yards and a touchdown isn’t gonna get you drafted in the first round.
One thing is clear, however. The USC Trojans need some recruiting wins, and the program needs them fast.