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Running back Kevan Barlow wasn't among those moping around the 49ers headquarters Sunday, a day after their season-ending loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
While several players hauled boxes to their cars and drove off without a contract
for 2004, Barlow swaggered from the facility and beckoned reporters for his
parting words after a breakthrough 2003 campaign.
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"I did what I had to do -- ran the ball, carried the load, picked up my blitzes," Barlow said. "Now it's up to them to make the decision if I can carry this team to be their future running back and carry them to the Super Bowl."
After splitting time in the backfield with Garrison Hearst since 2001, Barlow
is poised to become the 49ers' go-to guy in 2004. Even fullback Fred Beasley,
Hearst's best friend and Barlow's one-time nemesis, seemed resigned to the strong
possibility that Hearst's tenure with the 49ers could be done.
"It'll be very disappointing, but like I say, it's a business," Beasley
said. "Even though he's not going to be here, he's still a very good friend
of mine. It's just going to be hard being on the field with him not being out
there.
"He still can play. Hopefully he'll be here next year to help this team."
Hearst is slated to make $2.5 million in base salary next season, and he missed
the past four games following Dec. 3 surgery on his right knee. Barlow started
in Hearst's place those games and broke the 1,000-yard rushing plateau Saturday,
finishing with 1,024 yards and a hefty average of 5.1 yards per carry.
"I got past 1,000 yards basically being a part-time running back throughout
the year. That was special," Barlow said. "Part-time running back
getting a thousand yards? What questions do you have to ask? There should be
no questions, no doubt. Part-time running back getting a 'G'? Come on."
Coach Dennis Erickson, a strong advocate of the two-back platoon through the
first half of his inaugural season, indicated Saturday his thinking has changed
on that.
"I'd like to establish a running back, to be honest with you," Erickson
said. "Kevan has stepped up. I won't make that decision until we see what
we have."
The 49ers first will have to get Barlow under contract for next season. He's
a restricted free agent, and the 49ers undoubtedly will tender him at least
a one-year contract to retain his rights and match any offers Barlow might receive
from other clubs. General manager Terry Donahue wasn't available for comment,
though he'll hold his end-of-the-season news conference today.
Barlow said he definitely wants to return, and that he wants Hearst to, as well,
because he's a "good dude" and "like an extra coach."
Barlow said he and Beasley have patched up their personal feud, which included
a locker room scrape during the 2002 season and a sideline shouting match this
year during the Nov. 2 win over the St. Louis Rams.
"We had our thing," Barlow said. "I know Garrison's his boy,
and there was a competition thing between me and Garrison. He probably wanted
his boy to win. He wants to win, and he knows if I'm going to be out there,
he's got to support me. Hopefully that's behind us and in the past, and we'll
look to the future, get better and be one of the best running back tandems in
the league."
Beasley, who's headed to his first Pro Bowl, said: "While we're on the
field working, we communicate. Off the field, it's a little different. ... Garrison,
he's the vet. He's been there, been in the wars. Kevan took advantage of his
opportunity. I give him that. It's a cutthroat business. So we've just got to
see what's going on."