SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Frank Gore said at his locker today.

Q: We saw so much variety from this offense yesterday. Is this your full capacity or is there more to come?

GORE: We’ve still got room to grow. We’ve taken great steps, and as long as we continue to take small steps every Sunday and especially on the practice field we’ll be moving in the right direction.

Q: What have you seen from Alex Smith? It seems like he’s found the right system.

GORE: (Big smile) Like I always said, I love Alex. We came in together. He had some rough times there, but you’ve also got to look at the things he’s been through with all the different changes every year, during the year, that’s tough on a quarterback. We’ve got great coaches right now. Coach Harbaugh and the coaching staff is doing a great job with us, doing a great job with him and you see the difference.

Q: I don’t you guys don’t want to talk scheme, but how technical is this offense?

GORE: (Looks at a p.r. official and smiles). It’s great. It’s a good offense (laughs). We’re just trying to get better and do what our coach says. I feel like if we keep doing that then we’ll keep taking steps forward.

Q: Vernon said after the game that this team can be so much better than what it showed yesterday. What is the potential there?

GORE: To be great. Like I say, we’ve still got room. We’re just going to take one day at a time to get better on the practice field. Try to take small steps. As long as we do that we’ll be going in the right direction.

Q: You guys beat down Philly with your run game. Did you get the same sense yesterday, that you messed with their will?

GORE: We had a great game plan and Alex Smith did a great job throwing the ball. Tampa’s a good team, but we just were on yesterday. Our quarterback did a great job. Our offensive coordinator, he called a great game. And our offensive line and our receivers. We were just rolling.

Q: Have you experienced a game like that since you’ve been in the league?

GORE: Nah. Not like that, nah (laughs). My ’01 year at the University of Miami, yeah, but here, nah (more laughs).

Q: Does it surprise you that the offense is clicking just five games in to the season?

GORE: Not really because I know the guys we’ve got out here and we work hard. It’s crazy because everybody said we were going to be in trouble, you don’t know what we’re going to get from the quarterback. New coaches. I think we’ve done pretty good.