Tre Madden Continues to impress at running back. After just two days his teammates have nicknamed him “Baby Stafon” after Stafon Johnson. Probably because he wears number 13 and he falls forward after being tackled. It is very early in this experiment but the coaches are already talking about using Madden in a wildcat package.

Coach Kiffin said about Madden,

“(He was) really good again. He’s obviously has got a long ways to go but an exciting prospect to have there, giving us some size that we really want to have.” Kiffin went on to say, “He has a really good forward lean when he runs.”

After the scrimmage on Saturday the coaching staff will revisit this decision and see if they want to keep Madden at running back for the remaining nine spring practices or move him back to linebacker. Madden has RB in his genes. His father Curtis Madden, was a backup fullback at Kansas State and his grandpa Lawrence McCutcheon was a five-time Pro Bowl running back with the St. Louis Rams.

On the injury side, tight end Randall Telfer, receiver George Farmer, running back Buck Allen and linebacker Dion Bailey all missed practice with hamstring injuries. LB Marquis Simmons (limited), C Khaled Holmes (out), QB Jesse Scroggins (limited), WR George Farmer (out), TE Xavier Grimble (out), and TE Junior Pomee (death in the family) all missed or were limited in practice.

T.J. MacDonald was the MVP of the practice. He laid lumber like Paul Bunyan all day.

Matt Barkley will only take a few snaps at the scrimmage on Saturday to give more reps to Cody Kessler and Max Wittek.

Here is coach Kiffin: