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Seahawks’ Forsett turns his rejection into NFL success

The Columbian
Published: December 3, 2009, 12:00am

Running back fills in for injured Jones, for now anyway

Justin Forsett and Charlie Weis have something in common: Both have been dumped by Notre Dame.

Yet unlike the coach fired this week, Forsett is “blessed” to have been rejected by the Irish.

“Oh, man,” the 5-foot-8 Forsett said Wednesday, flashing a smile. “It’s definitely a blessing.”

If Notre Dame had not reneged on a scholarship offer it made to Forsett a few years ago, he would not have gone at the last minute to California. He would not have been in a college offense perfectly suited to his quick-cutting skill.

And Forsett would not now be the diminutive dynamo supplying all the pep in the otherwise stagnant Seahawks (4-7), who run the same zone-blocking sets as the Golden Bears.

Ask him if he sneers over Notre Dame, and Forsett just smiles.

“Oh, no, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to Cal and do the things I was able to accomplish,” he said.

Forsett has two 100-yard rushing days in the three games since veteran Julius Jones bruised his lung and coughed up blood during a loss at Arizona. Last week at St. Louis, with Jones still too sore, Forsett romped for 130 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns — all career highs. The Seahawks won on the road for the first time in seven tries.

So why is Forsett not the Seahawks’ starting running back?

“I understand your question (and) you can’t deny he’s had a couple of really good games with Julius out. And I think you’re right, certainly we need to evaluate that position and find out exactly what he is,” coach Jim Mora said. “But I don’t think that means you just completely eliminate Julius Jones, either, because we still need to evaluate him, as well.”

Jones was back practicing Wednesday. A decision on his status for Sunday’s game against San Francisco (5-6) may not come until kickoff.

Forsett thinks he is going back to the bench.

But he is used to rejection.

Months after they drafted him in the seventh round last year, the Seahawks released him. He played three games on special teams for Indianapolis before the Colts cut him. He re-signed with Seattle last October.

“He’s got a feel for the one cut and go,” Seahawks offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said, adding Forsett knows how to cut against a slanting defense, a common tactic against zone blocking.

Warner splits snaps with Leinart — Arizona’s Kurt Warner says he had his “best day yet” since sustaining a concussion two games ago.

Still, Warner split practice time with backup Matt Leinart on Wednesday as coach Ken Whisenhunt and his staff took a cautious approach to handling the 38-year-old quarterback’s head injury.

Jets CBs Lowery, Strickland out — The New York Jets will be without cornerbacks Dwight Lowery and Donald Strickland, and backup guard Robert Turner when they face the Buffalo Bills in Toronto tonight.

Turner sits out practice — Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner sat out practice Wednesday but is not giving up on playing in a crucial game against Philadelphia.

Browns place Lewis on IR — Cleveland’s Jamal Lewis, who announced last month that he planned to retire following this season, was placed on injured reserve with post-concussion symptoms, a premature and unceremonious ending to his illustrious NFL career.

With a bruising style that flattened would-be tacklers, Lewis rushed for 10,607 career yards, ranking him 21st on the NFL’s all-time list.

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