Lattimore relying on faith, hard work for 2012 season - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |

Lattimore relying on faith, hard work for 2012 season

Posted: Updated:
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -

After coming off season-ending knee surgery in 2011, junior running back Marcus Lattimore is ready to get back into the game.

"It's been a long time since I've prepared for anybody, so I'm real excited about it," Lattimore said after Monday night's practice.

Lattimore hasn't played in a game since Oct. 15, 2011, when he tore a knee ligament against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He says he's trying to not think too much about the injury.

"I'm just going out there trying to be myself," Lattimore said. "I just block it out and remember how I worked for those nine months and knowing that I'm strong enough to be able to take a hit or make that cut. I'm just relying on my faith in God and all the hard work I put into my leg to get it back to full strength."

Luckily for Lattimore, he's still got 10 days to get back to full strength for the Gamecocks' first game of the season against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville.

"We don't have to be ready until August 30," Lattimore said. "That's our goal: to be ready to play as well as we can on August 30 and beat Vandy."

Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.