Small back expects to do big things for Cal

Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, August 19, 2005
Justin Forsett is not bitter. Nor is he out for payback.
Forsett, a sophomore tailback at Cal, is happy with the way things turned out.
"It's been a long road here," he said. "I'm loving this place."
Forsett was overlooked by Texas in his home state coming out of high school in 2004. Longhorns coaches said he was too small. He signed a letter of intent to play at Notre Dame, but the Fighting Irish withdrew his scholarship offer over the summer.
Coach Jeff Tedford quickly moved to sign Forsett, seeing his potential after a tip from 1970s Cal great Chuck Muncie.
Forsett is realizing that potential now, making a strong case in training camp to become the primary backup to Marshawn Lynch. He appears to hold an edge over senior Terrell Williams and junior Marcus O'Keith.
"Surprisingly, Justin can be very downhill," starting right guard Aaron Merz said. "You wouldn't expect that from a little guy."
Forsett is 5-foot-8, 180 pounds. He's explosive, elusive and has been compared to Barry Sanders.
"He has really surprising balance," Merz added. "Sometimes it looks like he should have fallen over, but somehow he stays on his feet. And once he's in the open field he's so fast."
For the time being, Forsett will play behind Lynch, the heralded sophomore who is taking over from last season's 2,000-yard rusher, J.J. Arrington.
"He's extremely unselfish," running back coach Ron Gould said of Forsett.
"I'm going to compete no matter what," Forsett said. "You never know what's going to happen, so you always have to set your mind on the No. 1 spot."
Forsett is also mindful of Tedford's policy of not putting the entire burden at the high-risk spot on one player.
"I like that," Forsett said. "I know how Marshawn was used last year with J.J., and I can definitely see myself doing that."
Tedford hasn't officially settled on his depth chart.
"All the tailbacks are playing very well," he said. "We're very fortunate to be in that situation."
Last year, Forsett had 11 carries for 49 yards and scored a touchdown in the season-opening win at Air Force. Used primarily on special teams, he returned one kickoff 11 yards, although he usually blocked for Lynch on returns. He made three tackles on coverage units, and he also recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown in the win at Washington.
As for those earlier setbacks, they serve as motivation.
"I love to try to prove people wrong," he said. "Because I'm small doesn't mean I can't do things bigger backs can do."
He could be forgiven if he circled Sept. 10 on his calendar, the date Cal plays Washington under its new coach Tyrone Willingham -- the head man at Notre Dame when Forsett was signed and then turned away. But that's not Forsett's style.
"I don't hold grudges," he said. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here."
Forsett complements his on-field skills with hard work off the field.
"He asks a lot of great questions in the meetings and he's very attentive, " Gould said. "He really cares about the game."
Away from football, Forsett enjoys music. He plays the tenor saxophone and taught himself "a little piano." He's interested in studying sports marketing.
"I want to get that Cal degree," he said. "I want to establish myself as a good running back and a good leader."
Briefly: Worrell Williams, a red-shirt freshman linebacker, sprained his ankle in Thursday's practice. It was not immediately known how severe the injury is.