Five hundred carries for Gore? Whatever it takes
excerpt:
Mike Nolan would like to have running back Frank Gore carry the ball fewer than the franchise-record 312 times of last season. But he said he will not limit Gore's touches at the expense of winning football games.
"If he has to carry 500 times for us to win a lot of games, he'll carry 500 times," Nolan said Wednesday after the 49ers returned to the practice field.
"If I can have him carry less and still win, we could do that because then I'll have Frank for five or six years instead of three or four."
Gore, meanwhile, has no desire to see his workload decrease. "I don't see that," he said, noting that he feels he needs a lot of carries to get in the groove.
Gore has not carried a football since he sustained his broken hand on July 30. He gets a new cast on his right hand every morning when he reports to the team's practice facility. He is running and working hard, but he has not been able to work on many football skills since he's been out.
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A couple things came out of the past two press briefings with Nolan:
1) Gore will be the short-yardage back this season, so his touchdown numbers should rise. He was removed from that role for eight games in the middle of the season. 2) If the 49ers had to play without Gore, they would use both Maurice Hicks and Michael Robinson. Hicks is better on first and second downs, while Robinson is better as a third-down back.
What makes those players better in those particular areas?
"Our first- and second-down guy will most likely be carrying the ball, the better the running back," Nolan said. "Maurice has played it probably his whole life. From a vision standpoint, picking the whole, north and south, not much indecision, I would give that edge to Maurice in the running game area. In the passing game area, I would give Michael the edge on a protection standpoint, as well as a route running stand point."