MitchMash: Marcus Lattimore is memorable for all the right reasons

In my 30 years of covering high school sports, I wouldn't say Marcus Lattimore was the best tailback I ever covered. Very close.

But he is probably the most memorable.

That is why it was so sad to hear that Lattimore officially retired today from the NFL without ever having played a down. Two serious knee injuries at the University of South Carolina did him in.

In 2008, I was fortunate enough to cover South Carolina high school football for a week and met Lattimore and his teammates from Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) before a big state and national showdown with arch rival Dorman.

He was considered the top junior running back recruit in the country at the time and it was easy to see why. With a 6-foot-1, 204-pound frame he was a prep version of Earl Campbell or Ricky Williams: powerful, elusive, yet graceful with soft hands. He was a ferocious blocker who loved contact.

He was nicknamed "The Horse," and he was a definite stallion while rushing for 5,830 career yards and 67 touchdowns. He led Byrnes to three state titles.

But what made him so special to me and why fans all over the country are so saddened today is who Lattimore is. Even as a 17-year-old, he was far beyond his years. He spoke slowly but assuredly, with a sense of strength and conviction, but not cocky or braggadocios.

Though obviously the star of the Rebels, he never sought preferential treatment or even the limelight. It came naturally because of his easygoing good nature combined with a tireless work ethic.

The story I led with in a 2009 feature came from a school booster who recalled a hometown car wash the players were involved with. It was hot and late in this summer day and most of the kids by that time were slacking. Not Lattimore. He scrubbed and cleaned until closing time.

"Here's the star of them, out-working everyone at a measly car wash," said Paul Davis. "He wasn't trying to show up anyone. He had nothing to prove. Nobody noticed really. He just wanted to do a good job."

That made him impossible not to root and block for, said his teammate and starting center Dylan Bishop: "I mean, he's a great runner and a fantastic athlete, but he's a better person and great student. I love him to death. It's easy to block for a guy like that."

That sort of reaction wasn't confined to teammates. A year later when St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Byrnes squared off in a game that pitted the nation's top two teams, Lattimore blamed himself for the 42-34 defeat. He accounted for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns but lost three fumbles.

Afterward, Aquinas' top tackler, linebacker Vincent Mauro, said this of Lattimore: "I have great respect for that kid. He’s a great player. He’s strong and fast and got all the tools. He’s not only a great player but a great person. It was awesome just to go against him."

That sort of reaction followed Lattimore to South Carolina and even the 49ers, where he never got to leave his athletic mark.

See the entire 2008 profile on Lattimore

He started out as a defensive end as a youth and moved to running back as an eighth-grader.

"It doesn't matter where I play," Lattimore said in 2008. "Wherever anyone needs me to be I'll go. But I love running back now. It's fun to play. Scoring touchdowns is the ultimate but I really, really like blocking more and more. The contact is fun for me."

Ultimately, the contact to his knee finished him off well before his time. I recall his enthusiasm and conviction when telling people he would return from his college injuries and make it in the NFL.

Coming to grips with the reality that the dream was never going to be realized must have crushed Lattimore. My hunch is that he'll find another path and be equally as successful at another endeavor.

When asked as an 11th-grader what was the key to his success, he thought for a second and, as always, spoke with crystal clarity.

"It's always about two things. … Working hard and getting better."