Here's the full transcript of the interview CoCo Times columnist
Cam Inman and I did with Marshall Faulk yesterday.
The most revealing answer, for me at least, involves Faulk's role early in his Rams career when the St. Louis quarterbacks were just learning Martz's system. He says Martz leaned heavily on him almost as if he was the quarterback. The implication, of course, is that Frank Gore will have a similar responsibility this season. Everyone knew Gore would have a big role this year, but it's likely going to be bigger than we imagined.
Faulk was in town with his role as an analyst with NFL Network. He spent time with Gore, with Martz and with tight end Vernon Davis. (Davis said that Faulk predicted he would have a big season in Martz's offense). As of now, the plan is for those clips to appear sporadically during the offseason. If I find out specific air times, I'll let you know.
****UPDATE***** It looks as if NFL.com has a brief segment from Faulk's visit that can be found here. I'm told there will be more from the visit that will apear on NFL Network in coming weeks. By the way, remember that collison between Keith Lewis and Patrick Willis I wrote about yesterday? That happens on the Shaun Hill-to-Davis pass in this clip.
On the similarities between Martz's current and previous offenses:
It's a little different from when I got Mike. I was in an offense that featured me catching the ball with the Colts, coming out of the backfield. Mike ventured out with putting me at receiver.
On Gore's potential as a pass catcher:
He'll slowly bring Frank along in that aspect. I know a lot of people, including myself, wondering how does that match up, how is that going to work? Because Frank seems like a one-dimensional back. But I think he hasn't been used in that way and Mike is going to bring him along slowly. I think Frank is going to be an every-down back and has the capabilities to be an every down back.
On whether Gore is "fighting the ball" when it's thrown his way:
It happens. It's natural. When you don't catch the ball often, and when the ball's thrown to you and you need to catch it, you try to make sure you catch it instead of just accepting it. Guys that catch that ball, they catch the ball effortless(ly). You guys saw Jerry (Rice) catch the ball around here. You never saw him push the ball, you saw him absorb it. I watched Frank fight the ball in that aspect. He can catch the ball. I've watched him at the Pro Bowl and he catches the ball pretty well.
On role of the RB in Martz's offense:
The running back in this offense is the problem solver. He's the key ingredient. If you have a running back that can move around and do multiple things, it puts the stress on the defense. Most of the times you see a running back in the I (formation), you know he's going to do this. When you see the running back come in the game, you know what he's going to do. Well, when the running back moves around and he's able to catch the ball, your offense becomes more of an enigma to people, and they wonder what is he going to do. What do I put in? Are they going to put in the power game? Are they going to move Frank out?
On additional problems for the defense:
You throw Vernon in that. They can go two receivers with Vernon and Frank and flex Vernon out, it causes mismatches. They have to decide if they want to play the run or the pass.
On Gore's most important role in the offense:
Frank's doing a lot of things, and I told him the No. 1 thing is protecting the quarterback. That's what becomes hard for backs who haven't sat back there and watched people walk around, and decide which guy they have. When one of the lineman takes a guy, you know which guy to take to fix it.
On Gore's ability as a pass blocker:
We don't know (if protects well). I have not seen him in that aspect like he's going to be in this system. Maybe he had been, but whether it was his fault or not, you wouldn't know. In this offense, you're going to know when Frank's guy is the guy and he missed him. You're going to know.
On Faulk's role when the Rams quarterbacks were still learning the system:
It was all on me. The onus was on me to control a lot of things within our offense. Frank is going to be in that same way. He's the core. It's all going to be built around him.
In a sense, it asks a lot of you, and you've got to ask more of yourself, because you've got to be out there on the field. I can remember a time when Mike would call timeouts and say, 'Catch your breath. We've got to get you back in the game.'
On whether Faulk's blocking skills were overlooked:
It not only gets overlooked by people, but sometimes by running backs. It's the hardest thing to practice. You tell a defensive end or outside linebacker to just rush you, and now you have to fight this man. It's like telling somebody to hit you in the face. But you just get better at it. First you have to know who to get before you get them. It's who to get, and then how to get them.
On whether he feels like he's venturing into enemy territory:
I'm behind enemy lines right now, without a doubt. Other than coach Nolan, the only thing that would get me here is my job.
On mentoring Gore:
I don't call it tutoring. We just talk football. Frank's a polished athlete. We talk football and I try to have conversations with him just about the game in general.
-- Matt Barrows
.....we havent had a decent reciever since T.O.
