While the lineage sticks out, Frank Gore Jr. is more than the son of a 15-year NFL veteran. Throughout his time in college, Gore Jr. created his own legacy for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.
His four seasons with the Golden Eagles saw him assume several different roles and excel in each. The program was racked by injuries and transfers in Gore's first few years, forcing Gore to play both running back and quarterback at different times.
Here are the most important things to know about the "Superback" as he journeys to the professional level.
Background
Measurements: 5' 8" 195 lbs
Gore spent his high school days in Miami, Florida, where he played quarterback and running back at Miami Killian High School. He was a three-star recruit entering college, picking Southern Miss over Florida Atlantic.
The early part of Will Hall's tenure as the program's head coach saw their options at quarterback quickly dwindle, forcing Gore into the starting quarterback role as the "Superback" in late 2021, closely resembling a wildcat offense. The QB position stabilized in later seasons, allowing Gore Jr. to return to a more traditional RB role. However, Southern Miss came back to that skill set a few more times.
In four seasons in Hattiesburg, Gore rushed for 2937 yards on 608 carries with 16 rushing touchdowns. As a passer, Gore threw seven touchdowns and only one pick at Southern Miss. He also scored three touchdowns as a receiver.
Gore picked up All-Sun Belt honors two times with Southern Miss: second team in 2023, first team in 2022. He was also second-team All-CUSA in 2020 and a CUSA honorable mention in 2021.
Arguably the best game of Gore's college career came in the 2022 LendingTree Bowl, where his team beat Rice 38-24. Gore rushed for an FBS bowl record of 328 yards. He rushed for two touchdowns and threw one in that game.
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The Strengths
Gore's college career was a great example of achieving quite a bit in less-than-ideal circumstances. Southern Miss asked a lot of him, and he delivered. Given his achievements and his bloodline, Gore could have transferred somewhere else for his final years, but he stuck it out. There are definitely scouts and executives at the next level that won't be lost on.
Obviously, with Gore's versatility on the offensive side of the ball, having him in the backfield can add options to a team's playbook in the form of trick plays, or further wildcat usage.
On the field, his acceleration stands out. If he can get a 40-yard dash time under 4.5 seconds, his stock will rise further.
Gore also doesn't have a whole lot of wasted lateral movements. When he cuts, he keeps his center of gravity directly underneath him, which is a big part of why he was harder to bring down despite his size. There will be the issue of better tacklers to deal with at the next level, however.
What's Next
Gore will be a participant in this month's 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. After earning Offensive MVP at the East-West Shrine Bowl, he's gotten a bit more attention from scouts and analysts. He projects as Day 3 selection, probably in the earlier part of the day in round four or five.
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