49ers’ Gore gets a grip on NFL play

Frank Gore is yet another young professional in the Silicon Valley without much going on in his life outside of work.

He speaks to his mother and young son by phone in Florida, and he plays a few video games. But most of his days, nights and weekends are spent practicing, working out and studying at the training complex of his young startup company: the San Francisco 49ers, who are growing along with the second-year running back.

“It’s my first time leaving my mom, and I’m way across the country,” Gore said, recalling his thoughts when he learned his draft destination.

“I kind of like it here, though. I can just relax. It’s only about football, just chilling. Coming from Miami, there’s everything you can do after practice. Here, it’s football.”

With a 212-yard performance last week against Seattle, Gore burst into the upper echelon of NFL ballcarriers, second only to Kansas City’s Larry Johnson in the latest standings. Gore’s low-to-the-ground running style and an indefatigable work ethic have enabled a third-round draft pick with a frightening injury history to emerge as the heart of the 49ers’ rebuilding effort.

But these accomplishments require untold hours of unseen work motivated by his meager upbringing, his mother’s struggles with kidney disease, his injury struggles at the University of Miami, and the disrespect from NFL clubs that stayed away from his two surgically rebuilt knees.

Gore loves the game, but he’s playing for more than yards and touchdowns.

“He lives and dies for football,” said Scot McCloughan, the 49ers’ vice president of player personnel who led the fight to select Gore. “Even when he has to take a practice off, it kills him. It’s like you’re taking away a part of his life.”

His breakout performance in a 20-14 victory over the Seahawks broke the franchise record for single-game yards rushing. His 1,043 yards this season already are 10th-most in 49ers history, and he’s within striking distance of Garrison Hearst’s franchise record of 1,570 in 1998.

Though Gore openly speaks of his desire to be “the top dog” in San Francisco, as he puts it, he has already won his biggest competition. He has managed to earn a place alongside Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee among the Hurricanes’ other great NFL running backs despite two knee surgeries that threatened to destroy Gore’s talent in college before he ever had a chance to shine.

That’s why Gore isn’t really worried whether the rest of the league respects him. He knew what he could do, if his body allowed it -- and so far, he’s holding up.

“If I outrush L.J. or LaDainian Tomlinson, that will show them right there,” Gore said. “I don’t really care what people say. If we get better each week, I don’t have to worry about me.”

McCloughan could see Gore’s talent as a freshman with the Hurricanes, but then the injuries arrived. McGahee took Gore’s job while he recovered from torn ligaments in each knee -- and when Gore declared for the NFL draft after a moderately successful junior year, NFL scouts were divided on his prospects.

“I’m sure there were some teams that took him off the board,” McCloughan said. “That’s the only reason he lasted to the third round, because he has high first-round talent.”

The 49ers’ team doctors saw nothing debilitating in Gore’s knee condition, and Coach Mike Nolan rewarded McCloughan’s enthusiasm by picking Gore with the first choice of the third round.

“He certainly would have been a high, high round pick if he hadn’t had those injuries coming out,” said St. Louis Coach Scott Linehan, whose club must try to slow Gore today. “He’s proving to everybody that they should have taken the chance, the way he’s playing now for the Niners.”

Gore led the 49ers in rushing last season despite splitting time with Kevan Barlow, who was traded during the preseason when Gore’s talent became unrestrainable. McCloughan also helped out Gore by restoring the 49ers’ offensive line to respectability, signing Jonas Jennings and Larry Allen over the last two years.

Gore’s success has given freedom and options to quarterback Alex Smith, who’s also emerging as a dependable pro in his second season. Gore also leads the 49ers with 37 receptions.

“No one knew I could catch the ball when I was coming out,” Gore said. “I had to show them that too.”

He hasn’t completely kicked the injury bug, undergoing surgery after his rookie season to reconstruct both of his shoulders. Gore’s only serious injury this season has been a concussion -- the first of his life -- that hasn’t affected his focus on bigger accomplishments in San Francisco.

“Hopefully it pans out that he stays healthy,” McCloughan said. “He still has a lot to prove in spending a whole season being the guy, and then four or five years being the guy.”