Past adversity teaches NMB product Gore character, toughness

Competition tends to bring the best out of Colby Gore.

So though he was merely a sophomore defensive back at East Carolina, it surprised some — but not himself — that he found his way to the playing field.

“I just like to compete, and do so to the best of my abilities,” he said. “I’m used to doing it daily, so it’s like a second nature to me.”

The North Myrtle Beach alum recently completed his second season as a Pirate, playing in each of the team’s 12 games. He notched 29 solo tackles and assisted on 14 more, making a sack and intercepting two passes. While things went well individually for Gore, East Carolina’s record failed to meet the mark, going 3-9.

Despite such a low win total, Gore said the college football experience was almost everything he could have ever asked for.

“Despite the record, everything was great,” he said. “It didn’t take me long to learn about what it takes to compete and win games. So I’m doing my best to show why I earned this opportunity.”

Adversity comes and goes on the gridiron. Gore can testify to that, part of a Chiefs football team that went winless over the course of two seasons. Oddly, those experiences paled in comparison to what he went through to get into East Carolina.

Initially signing his letter of intent Feb. 2015, a pair of unforeseen circumstances made him have to take a closer look at his his situation.

First, the one who recruited him — former ECU head coach Ruffin McNeil — was fired. Not too long after, Gore was forced to settle a few matters with the NCAA.

“It was tough, but you have to push through,” Gore said. “Eventually, I made due and ended up here.”

The same spirit that allowed him to become a productive two-sport start in Little River followed him to Greenville, N.C., where he said it is a daily grind to perfect the craft of playing defensive back.

“Daily I want to get better, and constantly I’m working on getting better,” he said. “Mainly I’m trying to be more aggressive at the line of scrimmage. Some had said I never want to play press coverage or that I was soft.

“That just gives me something else to prove.”

Moreover, Gore said he is proud of where the North Myrtle Beach football program is, and where it is going.

“To see where the football program came from to what it is seeing my nephew and cousin play,” it feels great to have been a part of that,” he said. “Hopefully, the best is yet to come.”

This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Past adversity teaches NMB product Gore character, toughness."