When talking Heisman now, Marcus Lattimore belongs in that same sentence. South Carolina beat Georgia 45-42, credit key responses to Georgia turnovers but also give credit to Marcus Lattimore.
Lattimore simply went out and ran for 176 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. This was done against a very good Georgia defense on national television.
As the game wore on, Lattimore only got stronger. He averaged 6.5 yards a carry and only had two runs for a loss the entire game. The Georgia Bulldogs knew coming into the game they must stop him but just like East Carolina, they could not. Lattimore’s runs propelled his team to the win and the Heisman talk to grow.
If you recall, Lattimore burst onto the SEC scene a year ago as a true freshman—racking up 1,197 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns to go with his 412 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. Due to that production in 2010, Lattimore was the unanimous AP “Freshman of the Year” and the only freshman named to the AP’s first-team All-SEC squad.
Fast forward to present day. Lattimore has carried the ball 50 times for 288 yards, a 144-yard-per-game average thus far in 2011. He has four touchdowns on the ground and has caught the ball five times for 41 yards.
His stats help the argument for Heisman consideration but what really states the case is his leadership and determination. The team rallies around him and he does not disappoint. Lattimore lets his actions speak for him as he is not one to celebrate after a touchdown run. He is all business and in doing so, has put his team in position for a repeat in the SEC East.
Hopefully, after this week when someone mentions their top three Heisman candidates, the name Marcus Lattimore is spoken. Lattimore has shown through his performances the first two games that he is worthy of the preseason hype, and the nation is on notice now that as long as he can run, the Gamecocks have a strong chance to win the SEC, as does Lattimore of winning the Heisman.
(This article was also posted on Bleacher Report – HERE.)
