Mack limited in return to practice

TAMPA — USF tailback Marlon Mack made a limited return to practice Tuesday morning, but remains day-today as he tries to rehab his strained hamstring for Saturday’s game against SMU.

Mack was held out of Sunday’s workout after sustaining the injury on a carry late in the fourth quarter of the Bulls’ 28-20 win at UConn.

Though Mack said Tuesday he was feeling “85 percent,” USF coach Willie Taggart restricted him to walking exercises and “mental reps” at practice earlier that morning.

“He walked around a little bit [and] loosened that hamstring up a little bit, but I wouldn’t let him do anything else,” Taggart said.

Mack, who can tie Andre Hall’s 10-year-old school record with a fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing effort Saturday, is confident he’ll be able to play against SMU.

“The hammy should be fine,” he said. “I should be ready by Saturday.”

Senior defensive back Jamie Byrd said the key to his breakout performance against UConn was returning to his roots and living up to his nickname of “Angry Byrd.”

He had 12 tackles and sacked UConn quarterback Bryant Shirreffs twice. “[Taggart] loves to see that,” Byrd said. “So when I have a chance to be that player who everybody wants me to be and I know I can be, I’ll help the team out. Whatever I can do to help the team, that’s what matters to me.”