Marcus Lattimore (born October 29, 1991) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
, where he holds the career record for rushing touchdowns (38).
He rushed for 1,197 yards as a starter during his freshman year.
His sophomore and junior years were truncated by severe knee injuries. He opted to forgo his senior year and was drafted by the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
in the fourth round of the
2013 NFL Draft
The 2013 NFL Draft was the 78th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in ...
. He never played a game for the 49ers and retired from playing football at the age of 23. In 2016, he was named head football coach at
Heathwood Hall
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School is an independent coeducational college preparatory school in Columbia, South Carolina. Founded in 1951, Heathwood offers classes for students in pre-kindergarten/nursery school through grade 12. For the 2006-2007 ...
prep school in
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...
. He served as the Director of Player Development for the
South Carolina Gamecocks
The South Carolina Gamecocks represent the University of South Carolina in the NCAA Division I.
The University of South Carolina uses "Gamecocks" as its official nickname and mascot. While the men's teams were traditionally known as the Fighti ...
from 2018 to 2019.
Early years
Lattimore was born in
Duncan, South Carolina
Duncan is a town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. Its population was 3,181 at the 2010 census.
History
In 1811, a post office was established on what is now S.C. Highway 290. A tiny settlement sprung up around it, and both t ...
. He attended
Florence Chapel Middle School and
James F. Byrnes High School
James F. Byrnes High School is located in Duncan, South Carolina. It is named after the former Governor of South Carolina and U.S. Secretary of State, James F. Byrnes. The James F. Byrnes Freshman Academy is situated at the former location of D. ...
in Duncan, and played
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
for the Byrnes Rebels. One of the most decorated players in South Carolina high school football history, Lattimore was ''
ESPN RISE
''ESPN HS'' was a high school sports magazine published monthly during the school year in 25 markets around the United States. Founded as ''SchoolSports'' magazine in 1997, the publication changed its name to ''RISE'' in 2006 and was purchased b ...
'' National High School Junior Football Player of the Year in 2008. In his senior year, he earned ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' high school All-American honors, was named
South Carolina's Mr. Football, and played in the 2010
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game, held annually at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Typically played in January, the All-American Bowl is played between all-star teams representing the eastern and western United S ...
. He chose South Carolina over
Auburn
Auburn may refer to:
Places Australia
* Auburn, New South Wales
* City of Auburn, the local government area
*Electoral district of Auburn
*Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region
*Auburn, South Australia
*Auburn, Tasmania
*Aub ...
on
National Signing Day
National Signing Day has traditionally been the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for a collegiate sport with a school that is a member of the United States National Collegiate Athletic Association ( ...
.
College career
Lattimore enrolled in the
University of South Carolina, where he played for coach
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier (born April 20, 1945) is an American former American football, football quarterback and coach who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons before coaching for 38 years, primarily in college. He is often ...
's
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football program represents the University of South Carolina. The Gamecocks compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern ...
team from 2010 to 2012. A highly sought-after college recruit, he made an immediate impact for the Gamecocks as a freshman.
2010
On September 11, 2010, in just his second career college football game, Lattimore broke 42 tackles on 37 carries, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns against the
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The female athletic teams are sometimes referred to as Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference ( ...
. On October 9, 2010, against the then #1 ranked
Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I as a mem ...
, Lattimore had 23 carries for 93 yards, two rushing touchdowns, and caught one receiving touchdown from quarterback
Stephen Garcia
Stephen Glenn Garcia (born February 15, 1988) is a former collegiate American football quarterback for the University of South Carolina. Garcia had a 20–14 record as a starter for the Gamecocks. He completed 7,597 passing yards including 47 t ...
. On October 16, 2010, Lattimore scored two touchdowns in a road loss to the
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 ...
before missing the rest of the game with an ankle injury. On October 30, 2010, against the
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the 20 male and female varsity college athletics, intercollegiate athletics programs that represent the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers compete in NCAA Division I, ...
, Lattimore had 29 carries for 184 yards and one rushing touchdown. On November 13, 2010, against the
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as t ...
in Gainesville, Lattimore had 40 carries for 212 yards and three rushing touchdowns, to defeat the Gators and clinch the
SEC East for the Gamecocks.
On December 4, 2010, in the
2010 SEC Championship Game
The 2010 SEC Championship Game was played on December 4, 2010, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine the 2010 football champion of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The game featured the Auburn Tigers, the champion of the West Di ...
, Lattimore had 16 carries for 84 yards for the Gamecocks in the 56–17 loss to the
Auburn Tigers
The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year coeducational university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
. In December 2010, Lattimore was named the NCAA Freshman of the Year, headlining the All-Freshman Team, by ''
The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
''. On December 31, 2010, in the
2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl was a college football bowl game played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 31, 2010, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. EST. With sponsorship from Chick-fil-A, it was the 43rd edition of the game known thro ...
, Lattimore had one carry that went for a one-yard loss and caught three passes for 48 yards, before sustaining a concussion in the first quarter on a pass reception in which he lost a fumble in a 26–17 loss to
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
.
2011
South Carolina began their
2011 season at the
Bank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium is a 74,867-seat football stadium located on in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is the home facility and headquarters of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League and Charlotte FC of Major ...
in
Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
on September 3, 2011, against
East Carolina
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its orig ...
. He rushed for 112 yards on 23 carries and added three touchdowns as the Gamecocks battled back to win 56–37. Lattimore also caught three passes for 33 yards.
The Gamecocks traveled to
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
on September 10 to play SEC East rivals
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
. Lattimore carried the ball on 27 occasions for 176 yards and one touchdown.
South Carolina then played a home game against the Naval Academy, and in a 24–21 game Lattimore ran 246 yards, and also scored three touchdowns in the game. The following weekend, South Carolina played host to SEC East foe
Vanderbilt. Lattimore had his first sub-100-yard rushing game of the season, running for just 77 yards on 20 carries but was able to add a 22-yard touchdown.
He also caught three passes for 73 yards, scoring on a 52-yard reception, leading his team to a 21–3 win and a 4–0 start. He tore a knee ligament on October 15 against the
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State Bulldogs is the name given to the athletic teams of Mississippi State University, in Mississippi State, Mississippi. The university is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I.
Sports sp ...
and it was announced that Lattimore would miss the remainder of the 2011 season due to the injury.
2012
In Lattimore's first game back following his knee ligament injury, he rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries as the Gamecocks topped
Vanderbilt, 17–13. In the Gamecocks' 49–6 victory over
UAB on September 15, Lattimore rushed for 85 yards and one touchdown, his 34th touchdown at South Carolina, surpassing
George Rogers's school record of 33 career touchdowns. Lattimore turned in his best performance of the season against the
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 ...
, rushing for 120 yards and two touchdowns in a 38–17 win on September 29.
On October 6, the Gamecocks played host to the
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The female athletic teams are sometimes referred to as Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference ( ...
in a top ten showdown for which
ESPN College Gameday was in town. Lattimore ran for 109 yards and a score as the Gamecocks crushed No. 5 Georgia, 35–7, and posted two school records, three straight wins over Georgia and ten straight victories in all.
On October 27, Lattimore suffered a major injury to his right knee during a game against the
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the 20 male and female varsity college athletics, intercollegiate athletics programs that represent the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers compete in NCAA Division I, ...
. South Carolina football head coach
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier (born April 20, 1945) is an American former American football, football quarterback and coach who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons before coaching for 38 years, primarily in college. He is often ...
stated that Lattimore had dislocated his right knee and
torn every ligament, while also suffering nerve damage. Lattimore's knee was surgically repaired by Dr.
James Andrews.
On December 10, Lattimore declared himself eligible for the 2013 NFL Draft.
Statistics
College awards and honors
* Second-team All-
SEC (2011)
* First-team All-SEC (2010)
* Second-team
All-American (2010)
* ''
SN'' Freshman of the Year (2010)
* SEC Freshman of the Year (2010)
Professional career
On December 12, 2012, Lattimore confirmed in a press conference that he would enter the
2013 NFL Draft
The 2013 NFL Draft was the 78th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in ...
. On April 27, 2013, he was drafted in the fourth round, with the 131st overall pick, by the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
. On May 31, 2013, the San Francisco 49ers signed Lattimore to a 4-year deal worth $2,460,584 including a signing bonus of $300,584. On August 27, 2013, he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list.
On November 5, 2014, Lattimore announced his retirement from the NFL.
Coaching career
In mid-December 2015, Lattimore announced that he would join the staff of newly appointed
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
head coach
Will Muschamp
William Lawrence Muschamp (born August 3, 1971) is an American football coach and former player. He is the co- defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of Georgia. He served as head football coach at the University of Florida fr ...
. Lattimore would not be a coach, but would talk to the players about life off the field, similar to his work at his leadership academies through his foundation. However, in April 2016, the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
indicated that the university would gain an unfair recruiting advantage by hiring Lattimore, due to his work with high school kids through his foundation. Lattimore indicated that the NCAA ruling was fair, and that he would not be joining South Carolina's staff. On May 6, 2016, it was announced that Lattimore would be joining the football staff at
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School is an independent coeducational college preparatory school in Columbia, South Carolina. Founded in 1951, Heathwood offers classes for students in pre-kindergarten/nursery school through grade 12. For the 2006-2007 ...
in
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...
. Lattimore was named head football coach at Heathwood on November 14, 2016. On January 11, 2018, it was announced that Lattimore would be joining Will Muschamp's coaching staff at South Carolina as Director of Player Development. He left this position on January 10, 2020. As of summer 2020, Lattimore serves as running backs coach at
Lewis and Clark College
Lewis & Clark College is a private liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. Originally chartered in 1867 as the Albany Collegiate Institute in Albany, Oregon, the college was relocated to Portland in 1938 and in 1942 adopted the name Lewis & Cl ...
.
Personal life
On December 19, 2015, Lattimore married his high school sweetheart Miranda Bailey. He is a Christian.
References
External links
Marcus Lattimore's Official Website*
San Francisco 49ers profileESPN statsThe rise, and fall, and rise again of Marcus LattimoreESPN, May 17, 2016
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lattimore, Marcus
1991 births
Living people
Players of American football from South Carolina
American football running backs
South Carolina Gamecocks football players
San Francisco 49ers players
People from Duncan, South Carolina