""He made me aware of him," Smart said. "He definitely didn't discover him, but he made me aware. He would bring the video to me and be like: 'Look at this guy, Dad. Look at this guy's punt return. Are we going to get this guy?'""
""Probably the thing that impressed me the most is his love for the game," Smart said. "I wouldn't say that I didn't think he had it, but some guys that are so highly touted, they don't really buy into the culture and the work ethic that we have. He's never flinched.""
""I love their parents," Georgia receivers coach James Coley said. "They're old school. If you don't do it right, it's push-ups and do it again. They're built the right way. What goes on back home, it's not typical. It's not, 'Why won't they give you a shot?' It's more like, 'Why aren't you doing better?'""
Zachariah Branch transferred from USC to Georgia after the 2024 season and became the Bulldogs' top transfer portal priority, leading the SEC with 73 catches, 744 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Branch's contributions helped Georgia reach the College Football Playoff for the fourth time in five years. Kirby Smart acknowledged that his son Andrew alerted him to Branch's film and praised Branch's consistent work ethic and love for the game. Receivers coach James Coley emphasized the Branch family's old-school discipline and said Zachariah and his brother Zion fit Georgia's culture and expectations.
Read at ESPN.com
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