USC Football: Lincoln Riley Impressed with Redshirt Freshman Safety's Resilience After Injury

Had Zion Branch not suffered a season-ending knee injury in the offseason before his freshman year, the duo of the former four-star recruit and Calen Bullock could have been one of the best in the Pac-12.

Instead, Branch had to sit out his freshman year, watching USC's secondary struggle from the sidelines.

Now that Branch is back; he is making his presence felt, earning high praise from Head Coach Lincoln Riley.

"He had a pick-siz and a forced fumble," Riley said regarding Branch's performance in USC's first scrimmage of fall camp. "He really showed up well. He made some outstanding plays. If you asked me one guy that really stood out, it was certainly Zion."

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USCFootball.com

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With Branch facing a significant setback in his college career and the fact that he showed up at each game fully dressed out in shoulder pads and game shorts shows his desire to return to the field.

"It's pretty cool with his story," Riley said. "He didn't have the ideal start to his career with the injury and just fighting back from that physically and mentally. It's been cool to see him gain momentum the last several practices."

(Via

USCFootball.com

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Branch's performance also impressed his teammates in the secondary, which allowed the fifth most passing yards in the Pac-12 last season.

"Zion had a great scrimmage," said cornerback Ceyair Wright. "It's good to see him coming off of injury, taking the field by storm."

(Via

USCFootball.com

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If USC is to compete at a national level, improving their defense in virtually every aspect from last season will be vital. Branch could be a crucial part of their transformation to a championship-caliber defense.