San Francisco 49ers: Running Backs In The Post-Frank Gore Era
Frank Gore devastated the San Francisco 49ers organization and fan base when he took his talents to Indianapolis this off-season. He put up more than 11,000 rushing yards in his 10 seasons with the Niners. However, he joined the Colts along with another veteran, Andre Johnson, in the wake of a disappointing season.
Perhaps Gore believes his chances on winning a Super Bowl are greater with the Colts than the 49ers. After the mess of last season, very few can really blame him.
ESPN writer Mike Wells quoted Gore as saying:
"“I wasn’t touching the rock like I used to. Some plays would be my plays and they’d take me off still. I just think they wanted to go in a different direction. It was tough. You never want to leave somewhere you were comfortable at.”"
In addition to chasing a ring, it appears that Gore also wanted to join a team that would utilize him more in the final years of his career. The 49ers really dropped the ball by not doing all they could to retain a great leader like Gore.
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His vision and balance while running between the tackles is unmatched, and he will certainly provide stability for a Colts team with recent inconsistencies at the position.
However, this poses a large problem for the 49ers. Without the team’s potential future Hall of Famer, who will fill his shoes in the backfield?
The short answer is that nobody can replace the heart and work ethic of Frank Gore, but the 49ers have a number of backs who can provide a decent attack if utilized properly.
The running back who had moderate playing time behind Gore last season is Carlos Hyde. He had a decent rookie campaign with 333 rushing yards on 83 carries in 2014. However, expectations are high and Hyde needs to step up if he wants to be a premier back for the Niners. At six feet tall and 235 lbs., he has the build to be a formidable ball carrier, but he must improve his inside running if he expects to be a starter.
However, the Niners lacked quickness out of the backfield that could have sparked more scoring drives throughout a lackluster offensive season. If Hyde plays to his potential following the departure of Gore, he certainly has a good shot to be a pain for opposing defenses.
The lack of cohesion from last season’s offense is worrisome, so Hyde must find a way to bring energy back to the Niners’ backfield.
Hyde showed signs of balance and vision similar to Gore, but he left much to be desired. He has a lot to prove if he hopes to be a mainstay in a struggling offense.
Kendall Hunter suffered an unfortunate ACL tear during training camp last year, but the team is hopeful that he is returning to full strength. The main question regarding Hunter’s success is whether or not he can remain healthy. The early parts of his career have been plagued by injury, but when he’s been healthy, he’s provided consistent on-field play over his four seasons with San Francisco.
He also has greater quickness than Hyde, so Hunter could be the premier back for the 49ers. Hunter has, so far, averaged over four yards per carry throughout his career, and potentially increased playing time could kick-start his ability to go to the next level.
Throughout Hunter’s recovery from the ACL injury, he has shown a drive to become a stronger leader on this team.
According to 49ers News, head coach, Jim Tomsula said of Hunter:
"“He’s coming along great. I think we all have strong feelings for Kendall… but we definitely have a rep count on him. You’ve got to keep him corralled, but he’s moving around really quick.”"
Despite the departure of Gore, Hunter displays the confidence that a high impact running back needs. Right now, he seems like a guy who wants to step-up and be the player that a team can rally behind.
Hunter said:
"“I feel like any injury shows you how much you love the game and motivates you. It’s a setback. But what are you going to do when you’re healthy? It’s going to make me take advantage of any opportunity I have.”"
Lastly, the 49ers signed Reggie Bush this off-season, and his speed and experience will likely be used in third down passing situations. Don’t expect Bush to be the Niners’ leading rusher, but he could be a great weapon out of the backfield for Colin Kaepernick.
Bush only has two 1,000 yard rushing seasons in his career, and it is unlikely that the 30 year-old will have as many carries as Hyde or Hunter. However, Bush seems like a smart investment for an offense that has a huge need for big play makers.
It’s also clear that San Francisco is looking for speed by signing both Bush and ex-Baltimore Raven, Torrey Smith. There are certainly varying opinions on whether or not Bush is a good addition to the team, but the signing is a good short-term solution for an offense that needs speed.
The 49ers might go with a three back threat this season, but that might not be as effective as an every-down back like Frank Gore was. If the Niners are smart about their packages and play calling with their backs, they could put together a quick and dynamic backfield.