Frank Gore poised for big turnaround in 2009

Consider Frank Gore a man of his word. After showing up for the May 1 minicamp overweight, the 49ers' star running back promised his coaches he would drop 10 pounds before the offseason coaching sessions kicked off two weeks later. When he walked through the locker room doors May 18, there was no need to put him on the scale. Gore was noticeably trimmer.

Perhaps it had something to do with him having a weight lifted from his shoulders after getting a look at new coordinator Jimmy Raye's offense during that voluntary minicamp. The system mirrors what San Francisco ran in 2006, when Gore had a breakout season in coordinator Norv Turner's one season with the 49ers.

"It's about the same, a lot of power counters, going at them, don't care what they have in front of us; they just have to stop us," Gore said after a recent OTA workout. "My type of running style is that I like to have my shoulders square. A lot of runs and a lot of the running plays are going straight downhill, just pick your hole and go."

Gore picked a lot of correct holes in 2006, when he set career rushing highs of 1,695 yards, eight touchdowns and 5.4 yards per carry. To put that into perspective, his second-best totals are 1,102 yards (in 2007), six scores (in 2008) and 4.8 yards a carry (in 2005).

Gore is clearly excited about what he has seen and heard from Raye, who worked for Turner for two years in Oakland. The coaches were raised in the same offensive system and speak the same terminology. But will that result in the same type of big season for Gore? The answer here is yes, barring injury.

Gore says the 49ers were more of a finesse offense under coordinator Mike Martz last season. That won't be the case this year, because coach Mike Singletary wants the offense to revolve around a tough, physical running game, which would decrease the pressure on whoever wins the starting job at quarterback.

(cnnsi.com)