WATCH: South Carolina great Marcus Lattimore shares heartfelt message of support to Vandy TE Turner Cockrell

Football fans hold the game so close to their hearts, but sometimes there are bigger things than the sport.

Marcus Lattimore says this is one of those moments. The former great South Carolina running back and the Gamecocks director of player development delivered a heart-felt message to Vanderbilt tight end Turner Cockrell via Twitter on Friday afternoon.

Cockrell has been diagnosed with melanoma. South Carolina will visit Vanderbilt on Saturday.

We might be opponents on the field, but some things are bigger than football.

We stand with @VandyFootball's @Turner_Cockrell as he battles cancer in Houston. Get well soon, brother! pic.twitter.com/585VRtY7Gr

— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) September 21, 2018

After surgery this summer, surgeons discovered the cancer spread into Cockrell’s lungs. He’s undergoing further treatment in Houston.

What a classy message from Lattimore and the Gamecocks, who will clearly be thinking of Cockrell even as they play Vanderbilt this weekend.

Dave Holcomb

Dave covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.