USC heavy on mind of commit Lavonte Valentine after season-ending injury

Lavonte Valentine is staying positive in the face of adversity.

The South Carolina running back commitment from Melbourne, Fla., is recovering from a torn ACL. Surgery was Monday.

He plans to enroll at USC in January.

“Minor setback for a major comeback,” Valentine told The State. “Going through therapy for two months here and then in January I’ll be at USC. Then they’ll be giving me the real rehab so I can get on the football field.”

Valentine has talked with USC running backs coach Bobby Bentley since the injury. What was Bentley’s message?

“He just wants me to get healthy so I can get back on the field and said that he is praying for a speedy recovery,” Valentine said.

Valentine, who committed to Will Muschamp and the Gamecocks on July 4, has his sights set on putting that speed to work in two sports when he joins South Carolina: football and track.

On the football field for Melbourne Central Catholic High in 2016, he ran for 884 yards (9.6 per carry) with 175 receiving (29.2 per catch) and 14 total touchdowns in his first full season of varsity football.

His breakout season led to 15 offers in the spring, including the Gamecocks, Oregon, Southern Cal, Florida and LSU.

The three-star prospect is the nation’s 14th best all-purpose back in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite rating that factors in all networks.

Valentine was born in Florida but has family in Columbia and across the Palmetto State. His father, Leonard Valentine, lives in Edgefield.

In a photo he tweeted of him after the surgery, he was wearing a USC hat and said, “I Had My Gamecock Hat On The Entire Time!”

Valentine is one of two running backs in South Carolina’s 2018 class along with Deshaun Fenwick of Bradenton, Fla.

This story was originally published October 18, 2017 at 5:15 PM with the headline "USC heavy on mind of commit Lavonte Valentine after season-ending injury."