NCAA rules won’t allow Marcus Lattimore to hold official staff position at South Carolina

Another day, another story that doesn’t portray the beleaguered NCAA in the most flattering of lights.

A playing career truncated by a significant injury he sustained while in college, Marcus Lattimore was invited by then-head coach Steve Spurrier in February of las year to serve as an ambassador for the South Carolina football program. Even before he was officially hired to replace Spurrier, Will Muschamp was recruiting Lattimore to be a part of a hypothetical Gamecocks staff even as the former running back had previously stated he had no desire to coach at the collegiate level.

Lattimore remains an unofficial ambassador for the program, but he will not be permitted to hold an official title as part of the program’s support staff. From David Cloninger of The State:

The NCAA has stated that Lattimore cannot join Will Muschamp’s staff at USC due to Lattimore’s status as a former player and his presence through football camps and foundation. The NCAA considers it an unfair recruiting advantage.

Cloninger adds that “Lattimore can still speak to the team and be on the program’s periphery, but he can’t be named to a staff position.”