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Zachariah Branch prioritizes winning over resetting Georgia receiving records
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Zachariah Branch prioritizes winning over resetting Georgia receiving records
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Thats the sentence that says it all to me.."i really didn't have any expectations coming into the year". Branch is not focused on individual stats, and accolades. If i get 1000 yards receiving, and 10 TD's in a season, thats great, just more gravy on the biscuit lol If I get 450 yards, and 3 TD's, and we keep winning, thats even better than a double gravy biscuit. A true team player, not to mention a helluva receiver! I can't imagine what the DAWGS offense would look like without him.
DGD!
Go, Dawgs!
Branch: “I don’t really look too much at the stats and things like that,” Branch said. “The most important thing to me is we getting that W at the end of the day.”
That is the best attitude from a portal player that there ever could be….cares more about the team and his surrounding teammates than himself……and making himself appreciated by his play even though he hasn't "grown up" in the system!!
That is most evident in the plays that are set up for him to be a decoy, as other defenses are now keying on him since he has been so successful! Giving it up for his fellow playmakers to get open and make plays!
Gotta love it! DGD and then some!
Go Dawgs! Its never too early to hate Tech!
I bet Lincoln Riley wishes he still had him at usc lol
@1SICemDAWGS1
Not unless he plays defense. This is a typical Lincoln Riley team that scores plenty of points but can't stop anybody. Their 3 losses: 34 - 32, 34 - 24, 42 - 27. USC has scored at least 4 times, including at least 3 TDs, in every game this season. Then again, even if (5' 9" 175 lbs) Branch played defense he wouldn't help much as USC's biggest weakness is run defense. Notre Dame's Jeremiah Love had almost 10 yards per carry against them.
While Branch is a big time player at UGA this season, it is mostly the effects of UGA not having anyone notable at WR last season - Arian Smith is a rookie bust with 6 receptions for 47 yards and Dom Lovett has only played special teams - or really in the Smart tenure apart from Ladd McConkey and George Pickens (plus Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington at TE). Branch 640 receiving yards would make him the 4th Trojan statistically behind Makai Lemon (78 catches for 1125 yards and at 14.4 ypc and 10 TDs compared to Branch's 10.1 and 3; Lemon will be a 1st round pick), Ja'Kobi Lane (695 yards at 15 ypc) and RB King Miller (750 yards at 6.6 ypc). And he would be 5th if RB Waymond Johnson, who was logging almost 100 yards a game, hadn't gotten injured during game 6. At best he'd be the slot WR battling TE Lake McRee (only 27 catches but similar to Darnell Washington at UGA an incredible 15.6 yards per catch, so expect him to go in the 3rd round also) for catches between the hash marks, except that similar to UGA slot WR Kearis Jackson when playing with Bowers and Washington, the TE would be the one running routes deep down the field.
Don't get me wrong: Branch is huge for UGA. But he would have a much smaller role at programs with better WR traditions than UGA like USC, Ohio State, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama in recent years etc. Where UGA has had a single 1000 yard WR in its history (1004 in 13 games in 2002), Lemon needs 150 yards in his last game against UCLA - expect him to skip the bowl game - to get into USC's top 10 for a single season.
Also @1SICemDAWGS1 " I can't imagine what the DAWGS offense would look like without him" … you already know. The 2024 season with Arian Smith, Dom Lovett and Dillon Bell as the top 3 WRs. (Plus Colbie Young barely played and there was no Noah Thomas). The Nate Frazier/Trevor Etienne duo was way less effective than the sophomore Nate Frazier - who already has more rushing yards this year than last and with a deep playoff run can become the first Bulldog to hit 1000 yards this decade - and Trevor Etienne, who as predicted barely gets on the field for the Carolina Panthers (who don't exactly have Pro Bowlers at RB). Dillon Bell was #3 in rushing for UGA last season despite being a WR making him the #3 WR and the #3 RB. Either Phillips or Walker, who can barely get on the field this year, would have easily been the #2 RB last season. And UGA actually has an effective short yardage back this season in McCray. (Who had he gotten in the game on a certain play, UGA would be undefeated right now.) You also saw a bit of it during the 2023 season whenever McConkey and Bowers were hurt.
And to think that people spent 2023 and 2024 blaming Mike Bobo. You don't hear any of that these days except every now and then from Paul Finebaum.
So I take it Branch is one and done at UGA? What about Cobie with his injury?
I believe Colbie is out of eligibility unfortunately. the short season last year due to legal issues and the injury this year but unfortunately he played in more games than redshirt allowable., not sure if filing a petition will help, doubt it Branch has a year left but I imagine he'll test the NFL market before deciding. He's ready for the next level obviously…but sure wish he could be coerced into returning.
Colbie is done with eligibility. Hoping he could be back for the playoffs.
Branch has a year left but if he goes after this season that will benefit UGA in the portal and with high school recruiting.
SO glad the Branch brothers are Dawgs !! Especially Mister WR Branch !! He deserves Mister in his title !! He’s a great player and has Earned being called a DGD !! Now go help smash them Bugs Mister Branch !! Go Dawgs !!
Kasey I see what you’re saying and there’s sound reasoning in it. But I’m greedy I want my cake and eat it to. Branch come back AND land 5 star HS recruits. They see him and want to mimic his performance ? One can hope and dream !!
@Kasey I would definitely love to see UGA find the next ZB, and if it's coming out of the TP then I'm fine with that. I would also love to see CKS and Company competing for the next 6'5" star Wide Receiver after what we've seen from Noah Thomas. He has certainly demonstrated the advantage of someone with speed, talent and height. George Pickens is the prototype WR (6'4" - 4.4), but there may only be one George Pickens, so I would gladly "settle" for the next Noah Thomas or Colbie Young!
GO DAWGS!
that could be CJ Wiley next year. Our 2025 WRs will be looking to make their mark next season.
You heard what the guy said about why he left SCal-he wanted to win games(and go to the playoffs). Two things that aren't happening at SCal.
Branch is about to explode in this SECCG !! And look for T. Taylor to redeem that dropped pass !! Go Dawgs !!