How could this happen — again? A year after he tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, star tailback Marcus Lattimore again fell to the ground, crippled in a Gamecocks football game.
A year of rehabilitation later, he again lay on the ground, surrounded by devastated members of both teams. Saturday’s victory against Tennessee was tainted by the knowledge that he’d be out another season.
To his team and his fans, Lattimore has been a leader and an inspiration. Everyone that knows him attributes the respect he’s gained to his personality more than his athletic prowess.
But he’s got plenty of that, too. Lattimore has, for three years, represented our school with passion and devotion on the field. A Heisman Trophy candidate with a school record of 40 touchdowns, Lattimore is among South Carolina’s greatest football players in history.
We don’t know what lays ahead in his recovery process or future football career, but this is now our chance to return the favor, to be just as loyal and supportive a force behind him as he has been for our football team.
USC’s holding a rally today at 5 p.m. on the Horseshoe to honor Lattimore and wish him a happy birthday and speedy recovery. President Harris Pastides tweeted Sunday that it will even be live-streamed so Lattimore can watch from the hospital.
Go to it — even if just for a few minutes. Write a get-well card or happy birthday card and show support. It is these crucial moments that reveal the strength of the bond of a Gamecock family.
Let’s be there for Lattimore.