ATHENS — Zach Branch is expected to be a big part of the Georgia wide receiver room this fall. The USC transfer brings some much-needed speed to a room that has to replace its leading receiver from a season ago.
But Branch could play an even bigger role on special teams this fall. Coming from USC, he made a quick impact as a punt and kick returner as a freshman.
Given Georgia has to replace its top two punt returners from last season, Branch’s experience at USC gives him a major opportunity at the position.
“Zach’s done a great job,” special teams coordinator Kirk Benedict said. “I think obviously he brings something that you don’t get all the time, which is in-game experience. In-game experience is really valuable, and it’s good for him to have that. I think he’s gonna come here, and he’s gonna have a positive impact on our return units.”
In his time at USC, Branch returned 32 punts for 406 yards and a touchdown.
At Georgia, there is an expectation for starters to play a key role on special teams. Georgia’s top two wide receivers last season — Arian Smith and Dominic Lovett — also worked as gunners on Georgia’s punt team.
Branch won’t be the only key contributor playing a key role on special teams in 2025. It’s a critical part of the Georgia culture.
“It starts from the top, right? Coach Smart does a great job with the culture of special teams,” Benedict said. “And the best players play on special teams ever since I’ve gotten here and well before that. So I think these guys, they come in and it’s not necessarily a chore to play special teams, especially when you see guys that come before them that have had such success.”
Branch was working as the first-team punt returner at Georgia’s first practice, when Smart was clearly emphasizing the importance of special teams to the media.
But Branch has not yet been handed the job as Georgia’s return man. The Bulldogs learned the value last year of having multiple players capable of returning punts when Anthony Evans missed games against Florida, Ole Miss and UMass due to a hamstring injury.
Malaki Starks stepped in to replace Evans, but the former is now playing for the Baltimore Ravens.
Benedict outlined who is pushing Branch for the job as Georgia’s top option as the team’s punt returner.
“We got a lot of dynamic guys back there,” Benedict said. “But punt returners, we’ve got Sacovie (White) back there, Landon Roldan’s back there as a freshman, Talyn Taylor’s back there, and then we’re still working Cash (Jones) back there, and London Humphrey’s a punt returner.”
With the margins being so thin in the SEC, special teams can go a long way in shaping the final outcome. Having Branch, or someone else, make a consistent impact on special teams would go a long way in helping an offense that faces plenty of questions.
“I think any time you got a good returner, and I think we can get a good one out of that batch, especially with the in-game experiences at, I think that’ll help us for sure,” Benedict said.
