Frank Gore is just what the young backfield in Miami needs

What do you get with a veteran like Frank Gore in your backfield? Well first you must look at the man before the ball carrier. Frank Gore is just what the young backfield in Miami needs.

From a small child growing up in Florida, Frank Gore loved playing football.

"“My first time playing running back in a real game, I had eight touchdowns. I always loved football. For so long, I played against the older kids in the neighborhood. They had me really competing. I’d play corner, receiver, running back. I remember one time one of the older kids looked at me when I was playing corner, like it was a threat, and said: ‘You better not get beat,” S Frank Gore in a Peter King interview in 2017."

The fact that Frank Gore has always challenged himself against the highest competition is what made him achieve success at every stage of his career. From changing his decision to go to school at Ole Miss, to compete with the stacked running back class at the U (aka Miami University). Competition against the likes of Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee and Najeh Davenport is very hard competition to try to crack into for playing time. His realization that you can have all the talent in the world, but without drive and heart or the willingness to compete at an elite level you’ll never achieve greatness.

Frank Gores passion for everything in life stemmed from the unconditional love and support he received from his late mother Liz Gore, who sadly passed away September 12^th, 2007 from a long battle with kidney disease. Frank Gore also had to overcome Dyslexia, a learning disorder which almost derailed his collegiate dreams, due to fact he couldn’t pass the minimum SAT score. After two failed attempts, it was finally given to him verbally and he was able to pass the exam. He has had torn ACL’s in both knees, two shoulder surgeries and a slew of other injuries and ailments. Still Frank Gore pushed through and continued to succeed.

After enduring all of that and overcoming all the doubters that said he would never hold up in the NFL, 13 seasons later and fifth on the NFL all-time rushing chart, Frank Gore has finally silenced the critics. This Sunday, Frank Gore will finally get a chance play in his first regular season home game in his home state for the Miami Dolphins.

I’m sure by now Kenyan Drake realizes the man that has become his new teammate is a well of knowledge. He is man with great competitiveness and heart and knows how to succeed. His vision at the line separates him from ordinary and his ability to read the defense puts him on another level. He can take a crease with a cutback or bull forward through the hole with power. He has superb blocking ability and understands what is needed to be done on the field, always, in other words he is a complete back. I see polar opposites in Miami’s backfield, but stellar compliments. It should prove to be an outstanding tandem to watch and an absolute nightmare to game plan for.

I believe this is the right man to mentor the talented but very young backfield in Miami right now, to pass on what he has learned throughout his years in the NFL. I have no doubt Kenyan Drake will be a better running back for knowing Frank Gore. I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Frank Gore,

"“When they mention my name, they’ll mention me as a football player. Not just being a running back. A football player and my teammates respect me. This organization respects me. My coaches respect me – the way I come to work, practice and play. Like I said, if I’m not here next year, I know that I gave it my all here. I know they will say this guy gave our organization his all,” Frank Gore."