Gore poised to bounce back in 2009

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Sunday, April 12, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

San Francisco 49ers
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While running back Frank Gore is coming off a disappointing season, the San Francisco 49ers’ instability on offense could be the main culprit of his recent decline. Now, with an improved offensive line and a developing wide receiving corps, Gore is positioned for renewed success in 2009.

With inconsistent quarterback play and a revolving door at offensive coordinator, Gore has arguably been affected more than any other player in San Francisco in recent years. He’s proven his ability to perform at a high level, though, after being severely underestimated coming out the University of Miami as an injury-prone runner.

After a mildly successful rookie season, Gore broke out for nearly 1,700 yards rushing during his sophomore campaign, averaging an astounding 5.4 yards per carry and racking up eight touchdowns on the ground. In addition, he chipped in 61 receptions for 485 yards and one score through the air.

Although Gore’s numbers have been descending since 2006, he’s still talented enough to be mentioned among the premier backs in the NFL. The biggest knock on Gore up to this point in his career has been his inability to hold onto the ball. In fact, he’s fumbled 18 times in four seasons and must do a better job of shielding off opposing defenders.

Along with his yardage output dropping for each of the last two seasons, Gore’s carries have also dwindled. After compiling 312 rushing attempts in 2006, he managed only 260 in '07 and just 240 a year ago. Gore has missed three games over the past two seasons and the 49ers’ offense will need him healthy throughout the upcoming year in order to snap a streak of six consecutive losing seasons.

Working in Gore’s favor is the future potential of the San Francisco offensive unit. Quarterback Shaun Hill is a steady performer under center and if backup Alex Smith can emerge as the starter, he will have certainly earned it. After last season’s struggles at quarterback, look for head coach Mike Singletary to identify his top signal-caller early and stick with him unless forced otherwise.

The 49ers’ current group of wideouts is young and inexperienced, but Isaac Bruce’s decision to postpone retirement provides a great deal of wisdom and production at the position. Bruce will help mentor the likes of Arnaz Battle, Jason Hill and Josh Morgan with hopes that at least one will come forward as a go-to target.

In addition to improvements on the perimeter, San Francisco has progressed on the interior. Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Marvel Smith signed to help give Gore and the 49ers’ ground game a much-needed boost. San Francisco is relatively strong in the offensive trenches, a quality that should bode well in the future.

The biggest beneficiary of those improvements could be Gore, who’s certainly a deserving candidate when you consider the frustration he’s endured over the past two seasons in the Bay Area.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To ...
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