Niners Nation
We had the opportunity to sit down with San Francisco 49ers legend Frank Gore on Friday, thanks to his sponsorship with Lowe’s. Frank teams up with Lowe’s to help support the Earn Your Sundays Trailer, where they do giveaways, have Madden Games, and test your football skills.
Gore’s title with the Niners is “Football Personnel Advisor,” which could mean anything. Gore shared with us what his job entails:
Anything. I look at NFL guys. I study college guys. I talk to our players, tell ‘em how I feel and what they need to work on. That’s about it.
Gore said his passion was always watching talent. For now, his plan is to keep growing and learning in his new role.
As for what Gore looks for when watching collegiate players, it’s more about the process than what the box score shows:
I look for stuff that would work in the NFL. When a running back in college has real big holes and they don’t have to work for anything, they might struggle in the NFL. I look at tape like, how do they work in small spaces, how is their burst, how do they attack in pass protection, do they shy away, you know what I mean? That’s how I judge it.
Judging players by the box score is how you fall in love with an Ohio State running back rushing for 331 yards in the 2020 Big Ten Championship game, and ignoring everything the work that was done leading up to that game.
We asked what the difference was between preparing for Sundays as a player compared to watching the game without being able to step onto the field. The transition from player to a member of the front office hasn’t been a struggle for Gore, but he still watches games every Sunday, wishing he could help.
The difference is…You know how you want your team to win? When I was playing, I’m out there. Now, I’m not out there. So I have to keep wishing and praying that somebody makes a play. When I was playing, I knew I could make a play. When I’m watching the game, and it’s a tight game, I want something good to happen so bad.
Not being able to help his team, even in his 40s, is the biggest struggle for Gore.
Getting back to the personnel side, we wondered what Gore appreciates the most about the scouting process when he’s traveling the country:
What I appreciate…when I go to a school and sit down and talk to a guy. You know, when I hear some of the things that they go through and overcome stuff, it kinda reminds me of myself.
How much they love the game. When I ask them about how they prepare themselves, the offseason. When they tell me they have this training or that. It’s football day in and day out. That’s what I love about it.
When I...
