Former Tiger and Louisiana state trooper Byran Madden

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Did he play ball anywhere? Thats a big unit.

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As the LSU head football coach treks back and forth along the sidelines, he will be stalked by a 6-foot-4 shadow — 320-pound Bryan Madden, a Louisiana State Police sergeant, former LSU football player and fried wing enthusiast.

Madden has been at the coach’s side at every home and away game for the past eight seasons.

Madden was born and raised in Indianapolis and had never been further than Tennessee before he came to LSU in 1991 to play offensive and defensive tackle.

Initially, he played football at Purdue University but followed his defensive coordinator to LSU for a better opportunity at making it to the pros. As the trooper puts it, those were “not so golden years” for the Tigers. Even so, he insists, “it was still LSU football and a great opportunity.”

Playing professionally was the goal, but Madden says he came to realize that while football was his love, law enforcement was his passion. He started training at the police academy the spring after he graduated from LSU with a degree in mass communication.

Madden said Col. Mike Edmonson, security for LSU coaches the previous 26 years who went on to command State Police, encouraged him to pursue this career path. In August 2008, Madden was chosen to take over Edmonson’s position and become Miles’ new shadow.


Madden said he and Miles joke that there are palm prints on people’s chests across the SEC from Madden making his way through crowds of rowdy fans.

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