Glen Coffee ran for 129 yards on 16 carries and rookie quarterback Nate Davis led the 49ers to 18 fourth-quarter points, as San Francisco rallied late for a 21-20 win over Oakland. Coffee, a third-round pick in April's draft out of Alabama, and Davis, a Ball State product and fifth-round selection, were joined by fellow rookie Kory Sheets in making a case for playing time this season under head coach Mike Singletary. San Francisco pounded Sheets late with the rookie free agent out of Purdue eventually finding the end zone for a five-yard score with a little under nine minutes to play. The hosts then held on for the slim winning margin. The 49er running attack combined to rack up 275 yards with Sheets adding 51 yards on 12 carries, Michael Robinson chipping in 97 yards on 14 rushes and starter Frank Gore gaining seven yards on a pair of rushes in limited action. The Raiders had only 69 yards rushing with Darren McFadden picking up five of those yards on four carries. I do not know whether to be happy at the performance or just say that the Raiders are that bad defensively. Either way good game Coffee.The trend to have two backs share the load is beneficial to both. A power back paired with a speed back can be a lethal one-two punch. A seasoned veteran being helped by a young star will lenghthen both careers. Maurice Jones-Drew did wonders for Fred Taylor. IIn contrast, Larry Johnson carried the ball a whopping 752 times in his two full years as a starter, including the NFL record 416 times in 2006. It’s no surprise after that season Johnson has only played in 20 games and attempted 351 rushes. The two back system is necessary to survive in the NFL. Unlike Gore, Coffee has not proven himself to be a workhorse. Like most college teams, Alabama utilized multiple running backs. Coffee had 233 rushing attempts in his Junior year, the only time he ever went over 200 carries. His college days have given him experience in a time share. Who better to split a backfield with than a guy who does not demand to see 20 carries a game?
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