Frank Gore Jr. is the son of an NFL legend. He has his own ‘instincts you can’t coach.’
Frank Gore Jr.’s father is an NFL legend who ranks behind only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton among the league’s all-time rushers, but he didn’t point to his dad Monday when he was asked who he looks up to the most in his family.
“My biggest role model is my mom,” Gore said. “Ever since I was a little kid, she’s talked to me about how people come at you. She told me I’d have a target on my back just because of who my dad is.”
Gore kept his mom’s advice in mind as he made the move from his hometown of Miami to Southern Miss as a running back.
“’Be yourself. Be who you are. Do what you do,’” Gore said, relaying his mother’s message. “She always told me I was special.”
Two games into his freshman season at Southern Miss, Gore has already shown his potential to become a special college football player.
Heading into Saturday’s home game against Tulane, the 5-8, 185-pound freshman has carried the ball 18 times for 79 yards and caught three passes for 16 yards, giving a boost to a USM ground game that’s struggled badly in recent seasons.
Gore isn’t the first to carry the pressure that comes with being the son of a famous athlete, but he is in the rare position of playing college football while his father is still in the pros.
Frank Gore Sr. played college football at Miami, and is in his 16th NFL season and first with the New York Jets. He ran 21 times for 63 yards this past Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. He has rushed for 15,434 yards in his career — the third most yards ever compiled by an NFL running back.
Outweighed by his father by about 30 pounds, the younger Gore doesn’t have the pop up the middle that his dad still has at 37, but he has proven shifty in the open field and catches the ball well out of the backfield.
“I think Frank Gore Jr. is a certified football player,” USM interim coach Scotty Walden said. “He’s hard to tackle and he’s got something instinctive about the way he plays running back. He’s got some instincts that you can’t coach.
“He’s got a coolness level as a freshman that reminds me of (former USM star and current Philadelphia Eagles receiver) Quez Watkins. Nothing ever rattled him. He’s got that demeanor.”
Gore credits his instincts and calm approach to his upbringing and the importance of football in his household.
“I’ll give it to my family. I come from a football family,” he said. “I’ve been playing football since I was around 2. I pretty much know a lot.”
Frank Gore Jr. impresses a young USM staff
Frank Gore Sr. is seven years older than Walden, who is right now the youngest head coach in FBS.
USM offensive coordinator Matt Kubik was a quarterback at Louisiana Tech when the Bulldogs played against Miami in 2004, Frank Gore Sr.’s final college season. In the Hurricanes’ 48-0 win, Frank Gore Sr. ran 12 times for 61 yards and a touchdown while Kubik completed five of 10 passes for 116 yards.
“Coaching the son of a player who I played against is probably the first sign that I’m getting a little older,” Kubik said Monday.
Frank Gore Jr. is currently working into the rotation with junior Don Ragsdale and senior Kevin Perkins at running back, but Kubik sees a larger role gradually developing for his youngest tailback.
“If you go back and break it down play-by-play, Frank has been one of our most productive players on offense,” Kubik said. “Obviously, (receiver Tim Jones) is in that group too. He has a knack for making plays.
“He seems to be wise beyond his years as far as his football IQ goes. What’s most impressive is his coachability. You tell him what to do, he’s going to catch on pretty quickly.”
Freshman season at Southern Miss offers challenges
Gore Jr., who talks to his dad daily, acknowledged that the step up to college required some adjusting.
“The biggest challenge is the speed of the game,” he said. “In the first game, I feel like the game was sped up as well. As you get into the game, it slows down. You really get comfortable.”
Even though Gore is off to a promising start on the field, he’s already dealt with the reality of college coaching changes.
USM head coach Jay Hopson resigned following the team’s 32-21 loss to South Alabama on Sept. 3, leading to the promotion of Walden to the top job on an interim basis.
Gore committed to Florida Atlantic prior to his senior year at Miami-Killian High School, but changed his mind after Lane Kiffin left to coach at Ole Miss.
On Monday, Gore said he’s learned to roll with the changes at USM.
“Coach Walden, he’s a great coach,” Gore said. “It’s not that hard to deal with because he’s so young. Knowing that you can come to practice and your coach will have more energy than you, that’s a real big burden off your back. You don’t really have to worry about much. He emphasizes, ‘Have fun, have fun, have fun.’ It’s been very smooth, the coaching change.”
Gore will get more carries as time passes, and if his dad’s durability is any indication he should be ready to carry the load.
“It’s all about the work you put in and how you take care of your body,” the younger Gore said. “He taught me a lot about being a pro without even saying anything. I just took notes and I’ve just got to put it toward myself now.”
Tulane at Southern Miss
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: MM Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg
Watch: Stadium
This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
