GAMECOCK SUPERSTAR’S CAREER IN JEOPARDY
University of South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore suffered a gruesome injury to his right knee during the first half of the Gamecocks 38-35 win over Tennessee at Williams Brice Stadium this weekend.
Lattimore’s injury – replays of which immediately invoked comparisons to the career-ending leg injury sustained by former Washington Redskins’ quarterback Joe Theismann – was sustained midway through the second quarter on a running play in which Lattimore had cut to the left side of the field seeking daylight. While being tackled from behind by Tennessee linebacker Herman Lathers, the Gamecock superstar was hit low by Volunteers’ defensive back Eric Gordon – causing his right knee to contort.
Initial unconfirmed reports from sources close to the USC football program indicate that Lattimore suffered a dislocated right knee with possible arterial damage. Obviously any injury to a player’s circulatory system is cause for serious alarm.
Here’s a video of the play, although we would warn our readers that it is extremely graphic.
(Click to play)
Lattimore’s Gamecock teammates – and members of the Tennessee football team – surrounded the preseason All-American as he was carted off of the field clutching a towel to his face.
“Act like every play is your last play!” Lattimore is said to have exhorted his teammates as he left the field.
Moments later, he was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Gamecock fans at Williams Brice Stadium didn’t see the replay of Lattimore’s injury – and were not initially aware just how serious it was. However anyone watching ESPN’s national broadcast of the game – including former Gamecock linebacker Anton Gunn – knew immediately upon seeing the replays that it was devastating.
“That was the worst injury I have ever seen,” Gunn tweeted. “I have tears in my eyes for him.”
Lattimore – a 6-foot-1, 218-pound junior from Duncan, S.C. – is the school’s career scoring leader. In fact he added to his record-breaking total earlier in the game when he raced through the Tennessee defense on a 28-yard scoring run.
Last season, Lattimore suffered a season-ending knee injury during a mid-October game against Mississippi State – causing him to miss the final six games of the season.
In 28 career games at USC, Lattimore has rushed for 2,682 yards and amassed another 767 yards through the air. He’s also scored a school-record 41 touchdowns.
While a catastrophic injury like this is terrible no matter who suffers it, Lattimore’s injury seems especially unfair given what a class act he’s been ever since arriving on campus three years ago. Throughout his record-breaking career at USC Lattimore has been a soft-spoken leader on the field and a humble, straight-laced student off of it.
We obviously hope that you will join us in keeping Lattimore and his family in our thoughts and prayers …
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Pic: Travis Bell, Sideline Carolina
28 comments
Uggggh – I’ve seen ugly knee stuff on drop zones etc. but that is the ugliest knee injury I’ve ever seen.
Prayers for Lattimore, he is truly one of the greatest team players to have ever played in Garnet and Black. A great athlete, a true scholar and a gentleman – he will be missed on the field.
Just seeing his leg bent in such an unnatural way, man, that was gut wrenching. Damn… Hang in there man, we’re hoping for good news.
Keep your head up Marcus. You are strong.
OMG….that really sucks. Stay Strong Marcus….best wishes from a Dawg fan.
My guess is ACL, PCL, LCL, and fractured tibia? I still think he will be back on the field next year though. All is not lost. Lattibeast is the man!
That was terrible. Only a miracle will enable him to play again. I hope his leg doesn’t get any infection and there was no arterial damage.
Honestly, that looked gruesome enough to cost him his leg. To play football in the NFL is his dream but that is on the horizon and the least of what he has to worry about.
Wow, Todd, I hope you are right. I remember watching Joe Theismann’s injury many years ago. This was just as bad.
I wish that young man well. I think he will be successful in the game of life, whatever his role.
I tip my hat to him and expose my bald head just like I did for Warren Giese.
Thanx Frank…player
ALL of South Carolina is saddened by what happened to Marcus. Prayers go out to him and his family for a complete and speedy recovery.
Anton Gunn is a douchebag, if I want medical advice the last person I want it from is a community activist that accepted some Obama appointment, not from his experience but because he campaigned for him. Hopefully Gunn’s got his resume up to date and he can go back on his public speaking tour of middle schools around SC.
And you’re a colostomy bag for politicizing Lattimore’s injury. Eat shit and die asshole.
Wow. What a true piece of shit you must be.
Don’t listen to anything this jackass says. He claims to know nothing nor care about USC, but he knows plenty. He is a fool.
I wasn’t the one who brought up Anton Gunn. As if he’s any expert in medicine or football, he quit the team.
BTW – I have nothing but respect for Marcus Lattimore, I’ve followed his career since he was in Jr. High.
As for the rest of you who flew off the handle… brush the sand out of your panties and move on.
And your “respect” for Marcus Lattimore makes you less of a piece of shit for trying to play the Obama card in a post about his injury HOW, exactly?
Unless, of course, you’re just another of Will’s fanciful antagonist personas, like “Big T”, created to give the faithful readers another boorish, arrogant character to love to hate? The “sand in the panties” remark is a bit of a giveaway, to anyone who bothers to do a bit of a search.
Will… is this you? Dude, really…
Dude, what a big ignorant, classless jerk you are. You obviously don’t know me at all but harbor some jealousy or envy towards me. But this isn’t about me, this is about Marcus. We all should be praying for him. I don’t have to be a doctor to know his injury was bad. I feel bad for him. It is immeasurable what Marcus Lattimore has contributed to our University and our State. He has been bigger than a running back, bigger than the #21 he wears on his back….he is a symbol of what is great about South Carolina. Faithful, humble, committed, determined and proud. Today was a rough day for us all but not nearly as rough as it was for Marcus and his family. Out of respect for him, I will not entertain your ignorance but if you have something to say to me. I will be happy to meet you face to face and discuss it, but I suspect you will just hide behind your fake name and make noise on blogs and chat boards. Good night. Praying for a speedy recovery for Marcus.
Anton – You still a slumlord and selling phone cards? And you say I don’t know you.
Can’t add anything that hasn’t already been said about Marcus. I’ve never had the privilege of knowing him, but my wife has, and if anyone on the planet has earned the best that life has to offer at his young age, it’s him. My humble prayers for his recovery.
Way to go you classless, bitter, jealous kittie.
I feel much, much worse tonight than I did the past two weeks after losses. Ive never seen an injury that affected me so much The game was almost an afterthought.
My guess is that if he’s able to play again, it won’t be until 2014.
I’m a UGA fan and a PT, Worst non-SCI injury I’ve ever seen on the field. I can’t imagine playing after that but if anyone can it’s a guy like ML. I’d be surprised if any ligament remained, if the blood supply and nerves to his LE weren’t severely injured if not severed. This is a 30 month rehab at best.
Colonel, “a true scholar?” Really? If Lattimore is a true scholar, what does that make those of us who have real degrees?
WHOOAAA SHIT! OUCH. SHIT AW DAWG DAG NAM WTF HOLY DWAG GONE IT SHIT. OUUUCHCHCH. AWWWW MAAAINNN. HOLY SHIIIIIIIITTT.
Phewww. Dawg.
Trig is a bitch.
Frank Pytel
This thread has quickly deteriorated. The fact is that people will say things on a computer that they would never say to a persons face. The attack on Anton’s tweet is a prime example.
The bottom line is this. A Kid suffered a devestating injury yesterday that in all Likelihood has ended his career. Could you imagine having been blessed with the athletic ability that Marcus
has and working towards a goal your entire life and having it in your grasp, only to see it evaporate in one play.
I can’t even imagine the thoughts going thru that kids mind while laying on that field?
I hope he has the ability to overcome this injury, but I think its apparent that time is not on his side for a NFL career.
This was a loss not only for the Gamecock nation but the entire state of South Carolina.
I will pray for Marcus and his Family.
Thank you.
It really sucks that the guy got hurt. Frankly I don’t give a crap from the stand point of his “career”. Its a game.
That there are literaly 100’s of billions of dollars spent on this game annually is disgusting. TigerNation, seriously, do you think that football is so important to make this post. As though football will be the end all beat all of our society? Seriously?
I don’t even know, or care, who Anton is. There are definitely more important things to have this level of concern for.
“The fact is that people will say things on a computer that they would never say to a persons face.” You will please note that my name is plainly attached to this thread. While there is no doubt that I am considered to be Jackbootthugultrarightwingguntoatingchristianzellotfromhell, My name is in fact Frank Pytel
Have a Great Day!! :)
Trig is a bitch.
Frank Pytel