Senior Day Approaching for Forrest and Company vs. Colorado

It's uncommon to see someone in Chase Forrest's position. He came in with the class of 2014 and has persisted despite not getting into a starting role. Now he's a redshirt senior, the primary backup to Chase Garbers at the moment, and coming up on Saturday's senior day.

"It's one thing to stay," Beau Baldwin said Tuesday night, "you can stay just to stay and check that box, that's not what he's doing. He stays and he's the same guy watching film like a starter."

That's something that Forrest has done all this year, a year he started fourth on the depth chart before Ross Bowers got injured and Brandon McIlwain started splitting time as a wide receiver. Now, he's got to be ready in case he's needed.

"My role, how I've been about my whole career is that I've always got to be ready," Forrest told the media throng Tuesday, "I've always had that backup role. My biggest fear is not being ready for the worst-case scenario and I've got to go into the game. That's my MO, that's how I was trained in high school, how I am and how I will be."

Forrest did have opportunity to leave, the idea of transferring had been floated in front of him, but there's been more reasons for him to stay.

"What kept me here is this team," Forrest noted, "I have a lot of my best friends on the team and I trust the coaches. I wanted to be here. I could have had opportunity to leave but I chose to stay because I love this team and what's been brought up here. I think back in high school, I had the opportunity to leave but didn't, so I take some pride in that, it worked out for the better, and whatever happens here, it worked out for the better."

Forrest currently has four of his former Mater Dei teammates on the roster, all of who walked on to this Cal team and earned scholarship in Malik McMorris, Addison Ooms, Justin Norbeck and Matt Rockett (Gerran Brown was also on scholarship last semester, but medically retired during fall camp). McMorris credited this bond to their high school days.

"The whole Mater Dei thing," McMorris noted, "I think it's just an example of who coach Rollinson coaches us to be from our freshman year of high school. We learned a lot of things there to grow and develop, like I've attested in front of Mater Dei alum, parents and future students is what we do there, sets us up for life."

"It's unheard of," Forrest added,"we have a special bond coming from our high school, we're all the closest of friends, it's kinda incredible, they all earned their way onto scholarship, I'm happy with them and I'm glad we've had these four years together."

For now, Forrest is doing whatever's needed for the group to succeed, including continuing to work with the young guys.

"He's the same guy talking young guys, I've seen him with Garbers," Baldwin said, "I saw him numerous times with McIlwain, watching film with those guys. He talks to people the right way, you can call him an extra coach sometimes, he's incredible on the sidelines, just his demeanor and how he sees things."

In helping, Forrest has been running routes pregame for the QBs to keep warm.

"I was kinda getting out of shape, wasn't really working," Forrest said, "so I was like 'coach, let me go play receiver,' so until Ross got hurt unfortunately, I was playing receiver on scouts, just trying to get back into shape, I had a lot of fun doing it. Pregame, Ross and I would run routes for the guys, keep them warm. My dad played receiver in college and high school, so I thought I could do that, but I was definitely sore after, it's a different style of play running those routes."

With it being senior day, it's set to be an emotional day for the senior and his longtime teammates, though Forrest already graduated back after the spring semester. When asked if he'll be emotional coming through the tunnel with the 22 other seniors, he had this to say

"I don't know if I'll cry," Forrest said, seeing Ooms walk by, "Addy might cry though."

Ooms shook his head as he walked past, but emotions should be flowing for Saturday.

- Baldwin said that getting another week for guys like Jordan Duncan (recovering from a hand injury) and Vic Wharton makes them more likely to play this weekend. He didn't mention Kanawai Noa in there.

- McMorris talked a bit about Gerran Brown, who put out some music earlier this week:

"He's got some good stuff out there that hasn't been released, so shoutouts to Gerran"