SANTA CLARA -- Elijah Mitchell has a goal for the upcoming season.
The 49ers’ running back wants to do a better job of avoiding tackles. Of course, that’s obvious for anyone who plays his position.
More to the point, he wants to avoid the big hits that could lead to more injuries.
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“Oh, yeah, definitely,” Mitchell said. “This year I am focused on trying to make people miss more instead of just running into everybody. So that’s one thing.”
Mitchell missed six games during his rookie season as he dealt with a variety of injuries that sidelined him: shoulder, ribs, finger and concussion.
Still, Mitchell led the 49ers with 963 yards rushing (4.7-yard average) and five touchdowns.
He missed most of training camp this summer with a hamstring injury, but returned to practice this week.
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Mitchell has proven to be a good fit for the 49ers’ outside zone running scheme. Now, he just has to find a way to stay healthy and remain on the field.
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But he knows his body will take a beating this season, but his focus is on remaining on the field as much as possible.
“I’m not going to change my running style, but I just got to do the right things in the building, taking care of my body and stuff, cold tub, hot tub,” he said.