FOOTBALL

Turmoil Tuesday: Zacariah Branch Leads Exodus

Well, the other shoe dropped today as wide receiver Zacariah Branch entered the transfer portal along with his brother, Zion, who is a safety at USC.

Is Branch leaving a surprise? No.

I was more critical of him this season than anyone in the media. But it is the job of Lincoln Riley and wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons to get something out of Branch. To develop him.

The receivers are unhappy with their development and showing it with their feet by moving out of the program.

Think about this: Branch went from being perhaps the most explosive player in college football to not even returning kickoffs at USC. How does that happen? How did he lose some speed? What happened? How did Riley address it?

  • Meanwhile, some potential good news. Offensive line coach Josh Henson is leaving to become offensive coordinator at Purdue.

The USC offensive line has been a disappointment the past 3 years so hopefully Lord Riley will hire a good replacement. Well, one can only hope.

The fact is Henson deserved much scrutiny for the job he did. It wasn’t great.

The question is whether Riley, who has a small list of contacts, can find a good coach.

35 thoughts on “Turmoil Tuesday: Zacariah Branch Leads Exodus”

  1. exhibit A as to why Lord of Riley should be kissing the wolfman’s ring: a couple of phone calls and Wolfman could have 4-5 SEC line coaches set up for interviews. He has that much cloud on football circles.

    #YouBetterBelieveIt

    Like

    Reply

      2. Poor Cowardly Gabby, Inquisitive Libtard and Lawyer John still aren’t over the shock of the landslide rebuke. And the other lurker libs who used to chirp here about the greatness and lucidity of Senile Joe have disappeared.

        Like

  4. KAM: What would you say to a group of men who ‘can take criticism as good as give it?’

    DON: You are the minority of all men

    Like

    Reply

    1. Senile Joe and Kamala’s Dreamer Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang is terrorizing Utah — as Venezuelan dissident warns that local authorities ‘are not ready’

      Like

      Reply

  5. KAM: -Seems like the Season is now more inclusive, with all religions feeling the ‘December Spirit’ in their own way, and celebrating

    DON: Amen to the people

    Like

    Reply

    1. You Democrats are so inclusive: Democratic Rep. Delia Ramirez has announced that she will not attend President Trump’s inauguration. “I am a brown woman, daughter of immigrants, and I would feel unsafe.”

      Like

      Reply

    2. Such Democrat spirit: Sore Loserman Mainstream Moderate Democrat goes on an unhinged rant after seeing MAGA hats at the Eagles game: “I would’ve taken their f—king hats off and stomped on them. Maybe wiped my *ss with one…and then I’d have to defend myself, thrown them down… you mine as well wave around the confederate flag. More than half the country doesn’t want this character in office and now it’s becoming normalized. I’m disgusted that not one Eagles fan could grab those f—king hats and step on them.”

      Like

      Reply

  7. Wiley remains an optomist in his unwavering belief that he can turn things around. At least he is paid to think that way

    Like

    Reply

  11. And just how good is the quarterback Maiava, who looked decent in his debut but Moss looked good in his first 3-games too

    Like

    Reply

  13. It’s all of the above… and more as to why players are leaving. QB’s aren’t getting developed, and the rest of the team- forget about it. Additionally, he hasn’t established a culture, a way to make the players believe in the program. He doesn’t recruit worth a crap, his staff is mediocre because he is mediocre. His reactive on everything- not proactive… hell, he doesn’t even know how to really use a tight end in his stupid one dimensional offense. Here’s a thought- stop recruiting 18 WR’s and focus on them so they can get the touches they need to develop? Woody from Toy Story doesn’t think that. Worst part is, he doesn’t care because he has his legacy wealth set up.. he knows the money is gonna keep coming in. It’s beyond maddening what this yokel has done to the program in just 3 years- he’s made is a laughingstock. Sure, we hung close in games this year- all games that a good coach would have won.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. Branch is not a big loss. He is a mediocre receiver – can’t separate and poor hands. Defenses have adjusted to the bubble screen. And he took way too many fair catches on kickoffs and punts. A question arises about coach Simmons. Very little improvement over two years from Branch and Robinson.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. He is tiny…probably 5’9″ and 165 lbs, realistically. He gets pushed around by corners, and that is a reason why he can’t separate.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment