When last seen in a preseason home opener at Qwest Field, 
That was last Aug. 16, when the then-rookie running back from Cal carried 15 times for 136 yards, returned two kickoffs for 70 yards and five punts for 47 yards and also caught an 8-yard pass.
Saturday night, when the Seahawks play their 2009 preseason home opener against the Denver Broncos, Forsett figures to be busy again because
The ’09 version of Forsett isn’t any bigger. He’s still listed generously at 5 feet 8. But he is better.
“Justin is just more precise and certainly more disciplined,” running backs coach Kasey Dunn said Wednesday, after a 95-minute practice at the team’s training camp.
“He’s always been a good player. Now, he knows when to take risks, when to bounce it, when to cutback, when to stick is foot on the ground.”
Offered Forsett, “I’m definitely a little more comfortable than I was last year. I feel a little quicker and faster than I was. And I’m definitely not making as many mistakes as I was last year at this time.”
Those improvements in Forsett’s game play right into the Seahawks’ new zone-blocking scheme. With the linemen firing out, the back must make one cut and go. It’s a scheme that also goes with Forsett’s skill set, and one he played in while in college.
“The blocking scheme definitely suits me,” he said. “To be able to hide behind those big linemen and then one cut and go, that’s what we did at Cal.”
Forsett might be short, but the 194-pounder also is powerful. He did 26 reps with 225 pounds in the bench press at the NFL scouting combine two months before the Seahawks selected him in the seventh round of the 2008 draft.
It’s that combination of size, speed and power that allow him to either slide or power through the creases provided by his blockers.
“He’s a little guy to begin with, so he doesn’t need much room anyway,” Dunn said. “He finds a way to kind of pick his spots, and attacking the hip area and not going through the shoulder area.
“Justin just finds a way to squirt through.”
That was evident in the team’s Tuesday night practice at Husky Stadium. On one run to his left, Forsett somehow got through a crease that wasn’t even as wide as his body to get to the second level for a nice gain.
“We always had a saying at Cal: ‘You’ve got to get skinny through the hole,’ ” Forsett said. “So you’ve got to make yourself as small as possible to get through there.
“With the zone-blocking scheme, sometimes the holes are going to be so big a truck can get through and sometimes it’s going to be small. You never know which it’s going to be, so you’ve got to ready to hit it either way.”
Forsett was ready to hit it last year, but his role was limited to returning punts (9.9-yard average on 23 returns) and kickoffs (24.9 on seven).
This year, the new coaching staff is determined to find a role for him in the offense because his style complements that of Jones and is a counterpunch to that of Duckett.
That’s why Forsett ran more hills and did more work to strength the core of his body during the offseason.
“I just wanted to be more explosive this year and take advantage of those runs – you know, hit that seam and just be gone,” Forsett said.
Last year, whenever the Seahawks got close to the goal line, the ball usually was handed to the 254-pound Duckett, who scored eight of the team’s 10 rushing touchdowns – six on 1-yard runs, one on a 2-yader and the other on a 4-yarder.
“I don’t want them to bring in that jumbo package for Duck to come in at the goal line,” Forsett said. “I want to be able to finish plays.”
It’s that kind of attitude, and the grin that went that last statement, which allowed Forsett to win over more than the fans last season.
“He’s kind of a fan favorite in our locker room,” quarterback
“He just does whatever you ask him to do.”
Saturday night, that could be a lot. Once again.
