Justin Forsett
Encyclopedia
Justin Forsett is an American football
running back
and punt returner
for the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at California
.
. He moved to Arlington, Texas
in his sophomore year of high school after living in Mulberry, Florida
. Forsett attended high school at Grace Preparatory Academy
in Arlington, where he set several school records. In his final two seasons, he had 63 touchdowns and rushed for nearly 5,000 yards, leading Grace Prep to two Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
division 4A state championships. In high school, his nickname was "The Truth." His father Rodney is a minister and a coach. Forsett plays the tenor saxophone and taught himself a little piano. He lists video games and photography as his hobbies.
Close to signing day, Notre Dame
pulled a scholarship offer from Forsett. Notre Dame coaches later contended they had not offered Forsett a scholarship. Notre Dame's running backs coach at the time, Buzz Preston, later said that Notre Dame was looking for a taller running back. The Texas Longhorns decided not to offer Forsett a scholarship because of his size. Forsett's coach Mike Barber, a former NFL player, distributed Forsett's game tape to colleges across the country. Coach Jeff Tedford
offered Forsett a scholarship after watching Forsett's game tape and receiving a tip from Cal great Chuck Muncie
, and made Fosett one of the last signings of Cal's 2004 recruiting class.
his freshman year, but an impressive performance in fall camp kept him on the active roster. In the season opener, Forsett had 34 yards rushing and a touchdown in Cal's victory over Air Force
. Forsett played mostly as a backup during his first three years behind J.J. Arrington
and Marshawn Lynch
. Nevertheless, he managed to amass a good amount of playing time. During his freshman year, Forsett was used primarily on special teams, returning one kickoff for 11 yards but usually blocking for Marshawn Lynch. On coverage units, he made 3 tackles and blocked a punt in the endzone for a touchdown against Washington.
During his sophomore year, Forsett became second on the Cal depth chart at running back. He filled in when Lynch was injured in the early season and ran for 235 yards against New Mexico State, good for the fourth highest single game rushing effort in school history. In Forsett's junior year, he continued his role as backup. He ran for over 100-yards against Oregon
when injuries sidelined Lynch and in Cal's rout of Texas A&M
in the 2006 Holiday Bowl
.
As a starter his senior year, Forsett rushed for 1,546 yards on 305 carries, and scored 15 touchdowns. He opened the season with 156 yards rushing and a touchdown against Tennessee
. His 15 touchdowns led all rushers in the Pac-10, and his 1,546 rushing yards finished second, behind Oregon tailback Jonathan Stewart
. Forsett's efforts earned him a selection to the All-Pacific-10 Conference first team. Forsett ended his college career on a high note, rushing for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 42-36 Cal victory over Air Force
in the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl
.
Receiving
on September 10, 2008. He was waived on October 8.
, the starting running back for the Seahawks, left a game against the Arizona Cardinals
with a bruised lung. Forsett filled in for Jones, rushing for 123 yards and his first regular season touchdown. He started as the primary running back on November 22 game against the Minnesota Vikings
, scoring his second touchdown on a 9-yard run. With the Seahawks' running game struggling, Forsett also caught 8 passes for 80 yards. On November 29 against the St. Louis Rams
, he rushed for a career high 130 yards and two scores. With the return of Julius Jones in week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers, Forsett was relegated back to the position of 2nd-string running-back. He saw only 8 touches, rushing for a net gain of 9 yards, reception of 25 yards, and one touchdown. When asked if Forsett will be elevated to the position of the primary running back for the Seattle Seahawks, Coach Jim Mora responded,"You'll see them both and we like them both." But Mora confirmed that Forsett will see more touches, "Are we going to see more of Justin? The answer is yes, absolutely."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and punt returner
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
.
Early years
Forsett was born in Lakeland, FloridaLakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. He moved to Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
in his sophomore year of high school after living in Mulberry, Florida
Mulberry, Florida
Mulberry is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,230 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,228 . Mulberry is home to Badcock Home Furniture. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical...
. Forsett attended high school at Grace Preparatory Academy
Grace Preparatory Academy
Grace Preparatory Academy is a Christian college-preparatory school located in Arlington, Texas, United States. Founded in 1992, it offers programs for Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade students drawn from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex...
in Arlington, where he set several school records. In his final two seasons, he had 63 touchdowns and rushed for nearly 5,000 yards, leading Grace Prep to two Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, or TAPPS, is an organization headquartered in Salado, Texas which creates rules for, and sometimes administers, almost all athletic and academic contests for non-public high schools in the American state of Texas...
division 4A state championships. In high school, his nickname was "The Truth." His father Rodney is a minister and a coach. Forsett plays the tenor saxophone and taught himself a little piano. He lists video games and photography as his hobbies.
Close to signing day, Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
pulled a scholarship offer from Forsett. Notre Dame coaches later contended they had not offered Forsett a scholarship. Notre Dame's running backs coach at the time, Buzz Preston, later said that Notre Dame was looking for a taller running back. The Texas Longhorns decided not to offer Forsett a scholarship because of his size. Forsett's coach Mike Barber, a former NFL player, distributed Forsett's game tape to colleges across the country. Coach Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford is an American football coach and the current head coach of the California Golden Bears football team, a position he has held since 2002. As a first-time head coach, Tedford has won wide acclaim for revitalizing the Cal football program...
offered Forsett a scholarship after watching Forsett's game tape and receiving a tip from Cal great Chuck Muncie
Chuck Muncie
Harry Vance "Chuck" Muncie is a former American football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League from 1976 to 1984...
, and made Fosett one of the last signings of Cal's 2004 recruiting class.
College career
With a deep depth chart at running back, it appeared Forsett would redshirtRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his freshman year, but an impressive performance in fall camp kept him on the active roster. In the season opener, Forsett had 34 yards rushing and a touchdown in Cal's victory over Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
. Forsett played mostly as a backup during his first three years behind J.J. Arrington
J.J. Arrington
Johnathan Jerone "J. J." Arrington is an American football running back for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
and Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, Lynch became the Bills' first 1,000-yard rookie rusher since Greg Bell in 1984...
. Nevertheless, he managed to amass a good amount of playing time. During his freshman year, Forsett was used primarily on special teams, returning one kickoff for 11 yards but usually blocking for Marshawn Lynch. On coverage units, he made 3 tackles and blocked a punt in the endzone for a touchdown against Washington.
During his sophomore year, Forsett became second on the Cal depth chart at running back. He filled in when Lynch was injured in the early season and ran for 235 yards against New Mexico State, good for the fourth highest single game rushing effort in school history. In Forsett's junior year, he continued his role as backup. He ran for over 100-yards against Oregon
2006 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2006 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in college football's 2006 season. The team was coached by Mike Bellotti and played their home games in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States....
when injuries sidelined Lynch and in Cal's rout of Texas A&M
2006 Texas A&M Aggies football team
The 2006 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 9-4 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 5-3.-Schedule:-Roster:-The Citadel:-Louisiana-Lafayette:-Army:-Louisiana Tech:...
in the 2006 Holiday Bowl
2006 Holiday Bowl
The 2006 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 28, 2006 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season and one of 32 games in the 2006-2007 bowl season. It featured the Texas A&M Aggies representing the Big 12 against the...
.
2007 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2007 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2007–2008. They won the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference before falling to the eventual national champion LSU Tigers in the SEC Championship Game...
. His 15 touchdowns led all rushers in the Pac-10, and his 1,546 rushing yards finished second, behind Oregon tailback Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Creon Stewart is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon.-High school career:Stewart is the career leading rusher in...
. Forsett's efforts earned him a selection to the All-Pacific-10 Conference first team. Forsett ended his college career on a high note, rushing for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 42-36 Cal victory over Air Force
2007 Air Force Falcons football team
The 2007 United States Air Force Academy Falcons football team represented the United States Air Force Academy in the college football season of 2007–2008, getting second place in the Mountain West Conference, and losing the Armed Forces Bowl to California...
in the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl
2007 Armed Forces Bowl
The 2007 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 31, 2007, at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, USA...
.
Statistics
Rushing| Year | Team | Games-Games Started | Carries | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
3-0 | 11 | 49 | 4.5 | 1 | |
| 2005 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
12- | 132 | 999 | 7.6 | 6 | |
| 2006 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
12- | 119 | 626 | 5.3 | 4 | |
| 2007 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
13-13 | 305 | 1,546 | 5.1 | 15 | |
| Totals | 41-13 | 567 | 3,220 | 5.7 | 26 | ||
Receiving
| Year | Team | Games-Games Started | Receptions | Yards | Average | Long | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
12- | 7 | 68 | 9.7 | 22 | 0 |
| 2006 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
13- | 12 | 116 | 9.7 | 25 | 1 |
| 2007 | Cal University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA... |
13-13 | 22 | 202 | 9.2 | 49 | 0 |
| Totals | 41-13 | 41 | 386 | 8.8 | 49 | 1 | |
First stint with Seahawks
Forsett was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round in the 2008 NFL Draft. He scored his first NFL touchdown on August 16, 2008 in a preseason game against the Chicago Bears. A game in which he also totaled 261 all purpose yards, 136 rushing and 125 on return yards. The total was 55 yards more than the entire Chicago Bear offense for the night. One game into the regular season, Forsett was waived by the Seahawks on September 5, 2008.Indianapolis Colts
A day after being waived by the Seahawks, Forsett was claimed off waivers by the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on September 10, 2008. He was waived on October 8.
Second stint with Seahawks
A day after being waived by the Colts, Forsett was re-signed to the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks on October 9, 2008. Forsett was then signed from the practice squad on October 14, 2008 and became the return specialist. For the 2009 season, he was slated to compete with Julius Jones and Edgerrin James for touches in a crowded Seahawks backfield. After the release of Edgerrin James, Forsett became the teams No. 2 back which gave him an opportunity to get more touches and make a bigger on-the-field impact. On November 15, Julius JonesJulius Jones
Julius Andre Maurice Jones is an American football running back who played college football at the University of Notre Dame and is currently a member of the Free Agent Class of the National Football League. Before signing with the Saints on October 12, 2010, Julius had stints with the Dallas...
, the starting running back for the Seahawks, left a game against the Arizona Cardinals
2009 Arizona Cardinals season
The 2009 Arizona Cardinals season is the 90th season for the team in the National Football League and the 22nd season in Arizona. The Cardinals finished the season with a 10–6 record, an improvement from their 9–7 previous season record and the first time the team has won ten games since 1976 The...
with a bruised lung. Forsett filled in for Jones, rushing for 123 yards and his first regular season touchdown. He started as the primary running back on November 22 game against the Minnesota Vikings
2009 Minnesota Vikings season
The 2009 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 49th season in the NFL. The Vikings improved upon their 10–6 record and defended their NFC North title from 2008; it was the first time that they had retained a divisional title since they won six NFC Central titles in a row between 1973 and 1978...
, scoring his second touchdown on a 9-yard run. With the Seahawks' running game struggling, Forsett also caught 8 passes for 80 yards. On November 29 against the St. Louis Rams
2009 St. Louis Rams season
The 2009 St. Louis Rams season is the 72nd season for the St. Louis Rams, and the 15th in St. Louis. Due to the Rams winning only against the Detroit Lions, they finished with the NFL's worst record at 1–15, earning the first overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft in Steve Spagnuolo's first season...
, he rushed for a career high 130 yards and two scores. With the return of Julius Jones in week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers, Forsett was relegated back to the position of 2nd-string running-back. He saw only 8 touches, rushing for a net gain of 9 yards, reception of 25 yards, and one touchdown. When asked if Forsett will be elevated to the position of the primary running back for the Seattle Seahawks, Coach Jim Mora responded,"You'll see them both and we like them both." But Mora confirmed that Forsett will see more touches, "Are we going to see more of Justin? The answer is yes, absolutely."