USC Football Injury Report: Vavae Malepeai returns (3/27)

Running back Vavae Malepeai returned to action on Tuesday while wide receiver Michael Pittman was sidelined. Here’s the USC Football injury report.

USC Football took the field on Tuesday with one more much-needed running back available in the rotation.

Vavae Malepeai, who has been eased back into action since tweaking his hamstring before the start of Spring Camp, saw his first live reps on Day 7.

The redshirt sophomore running back was able to participate in 11-on-11 segments, but remained limited in special teams work. He expects to be fully cleared by the end of this week.

USC Football Injury Report:

• Out for spring: LB Oluwole Betiku (hip), RB Stephen Carr (back), TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe (hip), DL Marlon Tuipulotu (back)
• Out: TE Austin Applebee (undisclosed), OL Jacob Daniel (undisclosed), DL Jacob Lichtenstein (undisclosed), WR Michael Pittman (shoulder)
• Questionable: RB Dominic Davis (dizziness), WR Randal Grimes (groin), CB Je’Quari Godfrey (hamstring), WR Josh Imatorbhebhe (dizziness), TE Tyler Petite (back)
• Limited: CB Greg Johnson (shoulder), LB Tayler Katoa (knee), OL Toa Lobendahn (knee), RB Vavae Malepeai (hamstring), S Isaiah Pola-Mao (shoulder)

The good news of Malepeai’s return was tempered somewhat by wide receiver Michael Pittman’s inability to practice. Though the receiver was present on Tuesday, he was held out because of a shoulder sprain he suffered on Friday.

Pittman could see more time out, but is likely to return sometime in the coming week.

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After two relatively injury-free weeks, USC did have a rash of minor concerns crop up on Tuesday as well.

Tight end Tyler Petite tweaked his lower back and was limited while cornerback Je’Quari Godfrey was pulled with a tight hamstring.

Wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe and running back Dominic Davis each came out because of dizziness, which may be attributed to the first warm day USC has faced this spring.

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Running back Chris Edmondson also suffered a hip flexor while wide receiver Randal Grimes suffered a groin injury.

It’s not clear how long any of those new injured players will be out.