Gore’s skills, smarts aid 49ers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.

San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman wants to be a head coach one day soon, and he already knows at least one person he would hire on his staff.

Try running back Frank Gore.

"I always tell Frank, 'Man, when you're done playing, come find me or I'll find you,' " Roman said Thursday. "Because he's a guy I love working with as a player, and I'm sure I'd love working with as a coach."

Often underappreciated and overlooked around the NFL, Gore has carried the 49ers through good times and mostly bad the past eight seasons. Coaches are quick to credit the reliable running back's smarts and savvy, doing everything from breaking down film of opponents to scouting potential draft picks.

Gore's latest adaptation has come in the new read-option run game anchored by quarterback Colin Kaepernick that some thought might not suit his style. Instead, Gore last weekend surpassed 100 yards rushing in a playoff game for the first time in a 45-31 win over Green Bay, and the 49ers insist his knowledge is a vital part of the plan heading into Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Atlanta.

"It's top shelf," coach Jim Harbaugh said of Gore's football acumen. "Not to categorize it, but I know I have learned a lot from Frank, as well as the other running backs on our team. He sees it. He sees the big picture. He sees the whole picture. He sees it slowed down, and he's got a very quick mind. He's able to make quick-minded decisions."

Despite tearing ligaments in both knees at the University of Miami, Gore has rebounded to become one of the NFL's most durable players at a position that takes perhaps the biggest pounding.

Gore, 29, is the franchise leader in yards rushing (8,839) and touchdowns rushing (51) and has been a staple of San Francisco's offense under three head coaches. His versatility is what makes him special, coaches said, running inside and out and catching passes from all kinds of formations.

"Frank is such an adaptable player that it doesn't take him long to pick something up," Roman said. "He's one of the most gifted, knowledgeable, intelligent football players that I've been around really at any position."

Until last weekend, though, Gore's role had seemingly diminished since Kaepernick took over in Week 10 and the 49ers ran more of the Pistol offense.

Gore admits the first time he watched teams such as Oregon and UNR run read-option plays on TV he "felt like that's not real football." With Kaepernick and the 49ers one win from the Super Bowl now, he's become a believer.

"It's helping us. If it's helping us get to where we want to go, I'm with it," Gore said. "I just had to be more patient getting the ball. That's about it."

The 49ers also have kept Gore fresher, as opposed to years past when he often wore down late from countless carries. He split time with Kendall Hunter before the backup suffered a season-ending ankle injury in a Week 12 win at New Orleans. Speedster LaMichael James, a former Oregon standout, has limited Gore's touches since Hunter's injury and had a growing role in the Pistol offense.

San Francisco's strategy showed results when it mattered. Gore ran for 119 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against the Packers, even while Kaepernick set a quarterback playoff record with 181 yards on 16 carries.

"Hopefully, they keep looking out for him and 21 keeps getting the ball, and I'll just do what he did last week," Gore said, referring to his jersey number.

Where Gore goes after his playing career is uncertain, but he doesn't think those days are coming anytime soon. After enduring six nonwinning seasons to start his 49ers career, the past two under Harbaugh's guidance have rejuvenated the running back's career.

More than anything else, Gore wants to avoid the kind of heartbreak that came with last January's 20-17 overtime loss in the NFC title game to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants. That doesn't mean he might not still have one eye on the future, often lending his instincts to coaches and even offering his opinion on players before the draft to general manager Trent Baalke.

"I think I'd be a great coach. I've been around the game all my life, since I was 4. I could tell who is a real football player. I've got an eye for talent," Gore said. "So if Coach Roman ever gets a head job and he wants to hire me, I'll be ready."