South Carolina RB Lattimore suffers gruesome leg injury
South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore left Saturday's game against Tennessee with what appeared to be a serious right knee injury.
Lattimore left the field on a cart with his right leg immobilized.
A junior regarded as one of the top NFL prospects at his position, Lattimore missed the final six games of the 2011 season with torn ligaments in his left knee. He was sidelined for 22 weeks between the time he was injured against Mississippi State until he returned to team workouts.
In Saturday's home game against Tennessee, Lattimore was hit on a second quarter carry off left tackle. He was struck near his knees by Volunteers cornerback Eric Gordon while being pulled down from behind by linebacker Herman Lathers.
His right leg buckled from the hit on the inside of right knee as he was dragged to the turf.
Lattimore was tended to immediately and writhed in pain. He was surrounded by almost the entire South Carolina team while he was fitted with an air cast and helped onto a cart.
Lattimore had 11 carries for 70 yards at the time of his injury.
He came into the game hurting, and had 16 carries for 48 yards in consecutive losses at LSU on Oct. 13 and last week at Florida.
Lattimore was ranked as the top running back prospect potentially available for the 2013 NFL Draft by NFLDraftScout.com, and projected by draft analyst Rob Rang as a top-10 pick.
