Everyone’s favorite former running back is moving up in the coaching ranks.
Marcus Lattimore was named the head coach at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, S.C., on Monday, mark, obviously, the first head coaching gig for the 25-year-old. Lattimore was the school’s running backs coach and B-team coach, whom, in his first season with the school, he led to a South Carolina high school Class AAA Region I championship after posting winless seasons in 2014 and ’15.
“Heathwood Hall is a special community that I am thrilled to be a part of,” Lattimore said in a statement, via ESPN. “The kindhearted people make this place feel like home. The genuine care for our students is evident, and it all starts with great leadership from our Head of School, Chris Hinchey. The sport of football has provided me with a platform to motivate and inspire thousands of kids over the years, and this will give me an opportunity on a daily basis to continue to make an impact on the lives of our young men. Our coaching staff will immediately began to create a uniform system, developing the program from top to bottom, with the foundation built on an emphasis of accountability. Our young men will know they represent something bigger than themselves. Our players will work with pride to have people respect the name on the back of their jersey and more importantly, the name on the front.”
Lattimore, of course, was a promising running back for South Carolina until a catastrophic knee injury suffered at Tennessee in 2012 ended a certain NFL career in his junior year. Lattimore was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers but was unable to regain his pre-injury ability.
With his playing career cut short, Lattimore was jumped into coaching and player development. He attempted to join Will Muschamp‘s staff but was required by the NCAA to choose joining the staff or ending his skill development camp, and he ended up siding with keeping his camp.
In addition to his coaching duties, Lattimore also runs the Marcus Lattimore Foundation, which helps high school athletes prepare for college and life beyond sports.
“We are extremely pleased that Marcus has accepted our offer to become our head football coach and a member of our staff at Heathwood,” Heathwood Hall athletic director Jeff Whalen said in a statement. “Marcus is very knowledgeable in football but brings to us a more important characteristic in that he understands the importance of developing character and discipline.”