X-factors for USC's hopes of making an immediate splash in Big Ten in 2024
The beauty of college football is that for all the projections, predictions and prognostications that come out around this time every year, the sport remains ever unpredictable.
New stars emerge from obscurity every year. Handicapping how a player will develop from Year 1 to Year 2 is largely guesswork. And the transfer portal era has added yet another wrinkle to roster evaluation.
For those reasons, even when there seems to be some general consensus in the preseason polls, there will always be surprises -- both good and bad. (See USC's 2022 and 2023 results for examples of both).
So what to make of the 2024 Trojans? That is the question we'll be trying to answer every which way between now and Sept. 1 when USC kicks off against LSU in its high-profile season opener in Las Vegas.
Today, we're taking a look at potential X-factors for the Trojans -- players who could deliver a range of production, including a top-end level that would greatly impact the upside for this team overall.
We've stayed away from the most obvious choices. Yes, quarterback Miller Moss needs to be good as a first-year starter for USC to reach its goals, but you don't need us to tell you that. Obviously, Bear Alexander is as important as any player on the roster for his role and value on the interior of the defensive line, but that doesn't need restating and there's a general confidence that he's going to be an impact player. Experienced veterans like RB Woody Marks, C Jonah Monheim, LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, DL Nate Clifton, S Kamari Ramsey, CB John Humphrey and versatile DB Jaylin Smith, to name a few, have a generally safe floor in terms of their upside and should confidently be counted on to make the expected impact. We don't need to belabor those points here.
For our X-factors, we're looking at players with the legitimate potential to greatly outperform their 2023 output, and in some cases, players who absolutely need to do so for USC's chances of success in the Big Ten.
Here are a handful that stand out in that regard ...
WR Zachariah Branch
Sophomore wide receiver Zachariah Branch tops our list.
Branch was a five-star prospect, the No. 2-ranked WR in the 2023 recruiting class and No. 7 overall national prospect. The expectations for his Trojans debut last year could not have been higher -- we certainly beat the drum loudly on this here -- and in his collegiate debut he showed fans exactly why, scoring two touchdowns in less than four and a half minutes at the end of the third quarter against San Jose State.
The first was a 25-yard touchdown on a simple dump-off screen pass and the second a 96-yard kickoff return TD.
Just like that, seemingly, a star was born.
And indeed, Branch would finish the season as USC's first-ever true freshman first-team All-American, receiving that recognition from USA TODAY as a returner, PFF as a return specialist and The Sporting News as a punt returner (as he also scored on a long punt return TD).
But as a receiver, Branch only scratched the surface with 31 catches for 320 yards and 2 TDs (plus 70 yards rushing and a score).
The Trojans had Tahj Washington flourishing in the slot last season, but he's now off to the NFL and the door for Branch to take over is not only wide open but entirely removed from the hinges.
While there is renewed optimism for defensive improvement with a new staff on that side of the ball, USC's path to success remains largely predicated on Lincoln Riley's offense excelling each week.
More than any player on that unit -- and there are a handful of incredibly talented, high-upside offensive skill players to note -- Branch has the most game-changing home-run upside and star potential.
His freshman season was impressive, but there's no reason his sophomore season can't establish him as one of the top talents in all of college football.
If that happens, the Trojans could be as fun to watch offensively as any team in the country.
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