Then, hopefully, I can catch the coaches' eyes.To most fans of football, Garrison Hearst was the outstanding 49ers running back that was plagued with injuries. "I have to learn all I can as fast as I can, so I get a chance to play," he said. The season opener, August 31 in Tampa, seems like a distant speck on the horizon as Hearst wades through an entirely new offense. Hearst is reluctant to peer too far into the future. And the reality is, he will bring up the production. "People will prepare for Garrison and our running game. We need the perception of a strong running game. "There are two things in the NFL - reality and perception. "Garrison offers us a real threat," Young said. Quarterback Steve Young welcomes Hearst, even if he does not put up glittering numbers. So now he wears a 49ers uniform, hoping to pump life into the team's ever-ordinary running game. Cincinnati claimed Hearst on waivers, and he promptly gained 847 yards. The Cardinals released Hearst last season, weary of his fumbling problems and eager to clear salary- cap space for defensive end Simeon Rice. He may not move as quickly as he once did, but he still gained 1,070 yards rushing in 1995, apparently winning his way back into Arizona's plans. Hearst resurrected his career the last two seasons. Football is here today, but it's not guaranteed for tomorrow." "That's no fun for any running back," Hearst, 26, said.
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Hearst missed a full year, giving him an unpleasant fling with football mortality. But his NFL career quickly ran into two roadblocks - prolonged contract negotiations, then a serious injury to his left knee.įast running backs need healthy knees. Hearst averaged more than 140 yards rushing per game as a Georgia junior, planting himself near Herschel Walker in the school's record book.Īrizona then chose Hearst with the third overall pick in the 1993 draft. "I didn't want to miss my calling," Hearst said. Later, he ran track at the University of Georgia.īut he soon dropped those sports, to focus on football. Garrison, like his grandfather, also playedīaseball growing up in Lincolnton, a small town near Augusta, Ga. More than four months later, Garrison Hearst did not attempt to hide his sadness. The patriarch of this fleet family died in January. They're all known for turning singles into triples. To this day, Garrison returns home and plays on a softball team with his cousins. Hearst brings tantalizing talent to this competition - mostly in the form of his speed and quickness. Terry Kirby remains the starting halfback, with Hearst next on the depth chart. He is their latest, greatest hope at running back, as the team continues its quest for a solid ground game. Garrison Hearst told the story during the weekend, as the 49ers conducted their minicamp in Santa Clara. "My grandfather was the fastest man I've ever seen." "That's when I said, 'I'm not racing him again,' " Garrison Hearst said. They raced for about 30 yards, the kid and his grandpa. Garrison learned all about his grandfather's speed when he was 12 years old. Family legend suggests everyone watched those baseball games for one reason - to see Gyp Hearst get on base, so he could run. Gyp Hearst Sr., Garrison's grandfather, played baseball growing up in rural Georgia. They know he comes from a family steeped in swiftness. They would not consider Hearst's speed a revelation. The good folks of Lincolnton, Ga., will just nod knowingly.
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