Former South Carolina great Marcus Lattimore joining staff

He initially wanted to hire Lattimore as an advisor for the program, but the NCAA blocked the move because Lattimore was operating camps for high school prospects in the state of SC.

SC record-holder Marcus Lattimore is returning to the Gamecocks as director of player development and life skills.

Lattimore's role will focus more on off-the-field activities of the student-athletes and helping them transition in and out of college athletics. He has been coaching high school fooball for the last two years.

Head coach Will Muschamp was rewarded by South Carolina's administration with a new contract on Friday, granting a raise and extension to the man tasked with turning around the program.

However, he worked out the problem as he can still have his foundation, he is just unable to be involved with it directly to prevent recruiting violations.

SC has played in back-to-back bowl games, winning the Outback Bowl this year. "I'm really, really excited about it because I know the trajectory we are on as far as the football program goes". "I can still have my foundation and I can still do the things that I want to do but I can't be present at those events".

Lattimore set the school mark with 38 rushing touchdowns from 2010-2012. After suffering multiple knee injuries in college, including a gruesome injury his junior year at SC that tore every ligament in his right knee and required surgery by specialist Dr. James Andrews, Baalke took a gamble on Lattimore in the fourth round. He was eventually drafted in the fourth round in 2013 by the 49ers, but he was never able to return to his original form.