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Recently, over at 49ers Paradise, someone asked on the forums whether Garrison Hearst was the greatest running back to play for the 49ers.  This prompted me to do a study on the great ones we’ve had, and see how Frank Gore compares.  I also thought it fit in nicely after the Quarterback discussion I prompted last time.

http://www.49ersparadise.com/forum/index.php/topic,5365.0.html

First, let’s look at the career numbers for Roger Craig, Ricky Watters and Garrison Hearst

	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
Craig	1,991	8,189	4.1	56	566	4,911	8.7	17
Watters	2,622	10,643	4.1	78	467	4,248	9.1	13
Hearst	1,831	7,966	4.4	30	229	2,065	9.0	9

The first thing of note is Ricky Watters’ staggering lead in the rushing category.  When he left San Francisco, Watters had six straight seasons where he gained over 1,000 yards.  He is arguably the most talented runner the 49ers have had grace the roster, but his production was largely after he left.  Watters was also just as talented catching the ball out of the backfield as Craig was, even considering the fact that the West Coast Offense was not a new thing when he played.

Originally playing Fullback, Roger Craig was never a rushing mainstay.  He ran over 1,000 yards three times in his career, and eclipsed 1,500 in 1988.  Because of Walsh’s use of the Pass to move the chains, Craig’s best use was as the dual threat. 

With Jerry Rice catching the bulk of 49er passes during this stretch, it is conceivable that Craig may have benefited from the attention Rice received, leaving him open much of the time.  However as a runner, he did average the mainline four yards a carry when they ran the ball.  His high-knees style made him hard to bring down, and his intelligence made him a keystone to Walsh’s offense whether running, receiving, or blocking.

Let’s look at how they contributed to the 49ers alone:

	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
Craig	1,686	7,064	4.2	50	508	4,442	8.7	16
Watters	653	2,840	4.3	25	140	1,450	10.4	8
Hearst	1,189	5,535	4.7	26	174	1,604	9.2	7

Ricky Watters’ career with the 49ers was short, but he made good use of it.  As the West Coast Offense became a common faith, and San Francisco its Mecca, Watters was traditionally used as the dual threat.  You can see his average was well above that of the others, but also his value as a scoring threat was better than the other two.  In three seasons compared to Craig’s eight, he reached half of Crag’s TD totals, and equaled the total Hearst achieved in five seasons.

Garrison Hearst averaged on the high end in the running game, and maintained a Craig-like 9 yards per reception.  He was a smaller and quicker runner, and what he lacked in overwhelming talent he more than made up for in heart.  Who can forget his 96 yard Touchdown in overtime against the Jets, with the Niners backed up on their own one-yard line?  Who can forget the heartbreak of his broken leg in the playoffs against Atlanta, then his miraculous comeback from a degenerative bone disease two seasons later?  He came back without missing a step, eclipsing 1,200 yards in 2001.

Niner fans perhaps missed him most when his absence gave has-been Lawrence Phillips the opportunity to blow his assignment, allowing Aeneas Williams to come free and end Steve Young’s career.

To get an insight into how Frank Gore compares, I thought I would average everyone’s per-season totals with the 49ers and see how things iron out.

	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
Craig	210	883	4.2	6	63	555	8.8	2
Watters	217	947	4.4	8	46	483	10.5	3
Hearst	238	1,107	4.7	5	34	320	9.4	1
Gore	233	1,135	4.8	5	43	351	8.2	1

Granted, these men played in different times, but not too different.  His diminuitive size and ability to come back from injury reminds us of Hearst, right down to his number being one digit off.  His averages are also very comparable.  The one thing statistics can’t show is Gore’s equal ability to block in the passing game, and his tireless work ethic.

Considering the weakness of the passing game the last three years, it’s no surprise that Gore has received so much work.  But as analysts are quick to point out, it is precisely because of this that his numbers are so remarkable.  With defenses keying to the run, Gore’s production did not suffer.  Despite a horrid season last year, with personal problems and team problems abounding, he still gained 1,100 yards on the ground and 400 yards receiving, respectable numbers no matter who the back is.

Frank Gore is well on his way after three seasons, and one hopes it can continue.  He has an average of 4.9 per carry, with 3,405 over these three seasons.  He’s already put himself above Ricky Watters in my book.  Barring significant injury (knock on wood), what is the likelihood of this success panning out over a career?

Knowing Marshall Faulk had eight straight seasons of 1,000+ yards, we can trust that Mike Martz will get Frank Gore his production on the ground, but will likely also be able to keep him healthy, which is critical for the career of a running back.

If Mike Martz stays with the 49ers, whether as an OC or a HC, we can be optimistic that Frank Gore could very well be the best we’ve ever had.  One would hope Martz will finish out his career here in any capacity, but if he leaves after two seasons, one could also believe that Ted Tollner is a worthy successor, if not Adam Gase, the assistant Martz brought with him, should he stay in San Francisco.  But that’s a coaching discussion best left for other prognosticators.

In the Running Back discussion, I rate them as follows:

1. Roger Craig, the legend, the one they cut the mold from.
2. Garrison Hearst, the player with the most heart.
3. Frank Gore, a class act and tough player, a worthy successor well on his way.
4. Ricky Watters, a talented player that left to be a running mainstay.