Marcus Lattimore feels close to 100 percent and is counting down the days until he can run free and easy for the San Francisco 49ers.
"The left knee, it feels like nothing ever happened," Lattimore told The Associated Press by phone. "The right knee, it feels great. Both feel balanced. I've got my speed and I rarely get any soreness" after workouts.
For Lattimore, that's major progress after facing questions following his injuries while at South Carolina. He was one of the Southeastern Conference's rushing leaders in 2011 when he tore ligaments in his right knee in a game at Mississippi State and missed the Gamecocks' final six games.
After surgery and a furious rehab regimen and saw him return to the practice field a month ahead of schedule, Lattimore was ready for his junior season. That ended in October against Tennessee when he got hit on his left knee, again needing surgery to repair ligament damage.
Along with Kendall Hunter, Lattimore is a threat to Frank Gore's workload. Gore is under contract for one more season, so don't be surprised if he holds off the youngsters for a bit longer.
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