Robert Turbin grew up watching Frank Gore and will now be his backup

For the past 15 or 16 years, Robert Turbin has been playing running back and watching Frank Gore.  Growing up in California, his favorite team was the San Francisco 49ers, and playing running back, one of his favorites to watch was Frank Gore.  The fact that Gore played for the 49ers was an added bonus.

Now, Turbin finds himself on the same team as Frank Gore and as the leading candidate to back him up, as the Indianapolis Colts signed Turbin earlier this week.  The two have never met, but Turbin says that his "prayers are being answered 15 years later" as he finally will get to.

"I think now as a veteran I do have more of an understanding of the game and the league so I'm very excited to work with Frank," Turbin said on Wednesday.  "I grew up a 49ers fan so I was a huge fan of his because I grew up playing running back since I was 10 years old.  So being a fan of the 49ers and one of my favorite running backs being on that team, obviously he was fun to watch for me so it's exciting to be able to work with him.  I'm always trying to gain knowledge and seek knowledge, so he's been in the league a lot longer than I have and I'll be looking to gain even more knowledge from him."

Turbin knows a thing or two about backing up a successful veteran running back.  For three seasons in Seattle, Turbin backed up Marshawn Lynch.  During that time, Lynch made three Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro once and a second-team All-Pro another time, and the team made two Super Bowl appearances, winning one of them.  Throughout all of that Turbin was Lynch's backup, and now he has the chance to back up another successful veteran in Frank Gore, who will very likely crack the top ten in career rushing yards this season.

It was more than just Gore, however, that attracted Turbin to Indianapolis.  He signed a one-year deal with the team (though he hopes to turn that into a longer contract down the road), and he talked about how great of a fit it was to join the Colts.

"It felt like it was a great fit," he said.  "I really heard a lot of positive things about the organization and looking at the roster and what kind of team they had and the coaching staff and what kind of coaches that they had it really felt like it would be a great opportunity for me and a great fit to be a part of a really good football team."

It's unclear yet exactly what role Turbin will have with the Colts, though he currently figures to be the leading candidate to back up Gore.  Whatever his role is, though, he's excited to get started and to help the Colts win.

"Really it's too early to kind of put my finger on what kind of role I'm going to have," Turbin said.  "But as a football player, regardless of that fact I do have a job to do and I love what I do and I'm going to work hard and do the best I can, to not only make myself better, but the guys around me.  If that can accumulate to us winning a lot of football games then I'll be satisfied."