MacKenzie Is Ready to Move Past Injuries

It’s been awhile, but USC tailback Malaefou MacKenzie finally is able to pronounce himself injury-free.

“This is the healthiest I’ve been since high school,” MacKenzie said after a two-hour practice Sunday at UC Irvine. “I feel good and I’m optimistic about the season.”

MacKenzie has been through a lot since graduating from Capistrano Valley High in 1997. He started two games as a freshman but played much of the season with a sore arch and a bruised shoulder. In 1998, he blew out his left knee in the opener against Purdue and was redshirted. Last year, he missed four games with a hamstring injury and rushed for only 121 yards.

“I think I took my health for granted when I was healthy,” he said. “Now, I cherish every minute.”

MacKenzie, who has 481 yards rushing and 62 yards receiving in his injury-plagued career, figures to get plenty of work if he can just stay away from the trainer.

“I’m getting more comfortable as I get more snaps,” MacKenzie said. “I feel this is the year for me and the team. We’re both a lot further ahead of where we were last year.”

*

Quarterback Carson Palmer said he is further ahead of where he expected to be after a week of camp. But Palmer is eager to get back in sync with receiver Kareem Kelly, who has been out with a knee injury. Hackett said Kelly will return to practice today at full-speed.

“Kareem’s the big-play guy,” Palmer said. “He’s the guy I’m going to need to find. We need to get our timing down.”

*

After viewing tapes of Saturday’s scrimmage, Hackett said he was pleased with his team’s performance. He singled out the running backs and the linebackers. About the only thing he wasn’t happy with was the 12 penalties, six of which were false starts by the offense.

Although kicker David Newbury stood out in the scrimmage by making four field goals in five attempts, Hackett said he is not ready to name Newbury the starter ahead of David Bell and John Wall.