One giant QB leap forward for Forcier

09-07-2006

By Tom Shanahan, Special to CalHiSports.com

You hear it from coaches and quarterbacks alike when they discuss the learning curve confronting the man playing the most important position in football.

They talk about the need for the game to slow down as the young quarterback develops the ability to read where the 21 other players are on the field – 10 of them trying to help him move the football, 11 of them trying to stop him.

St. Augustine High quarterback Chris Forcier begins his senior year Friday night when the Saints open their season by playing host to Marian Catholic at San Diego High, but the most important step in Foricer's growth cycle happened as a junior. His seminal moment was a mid-season Saturday night last year against arch-rival Cathedral Catholic.

For the game’s decisive play, the players slowed down and fans in a full house of 7,000 at Southwestern College quieted down.

Well, at least it seemed that way all of the sudden to Forcier as he connected with Nebraska-bound wide receiver Menelik Holt for a 23-yard touchdown pass as time expired, providing the Saints with a 40-37 win.

“I remember it seemed really quiet when I dropped back,” Forcier said. “No one was running their proper route except Menelik. He was running a dig route post (cutting up the middle of the field). I knew I could trust him to run his route and he’s a big target. I lofted a pass over the linebacker and he caught it, but it seemed like forever for him to go the last two yards and cross the goal line.”

Forcier continued explaining the moment that seemed to be unfolding in slow motion.

“It was eerie,” he said. “I think I zoned out. I took that as a sign of being poised and comfortable in the pocket. I learned a lot from that.”

Forcier, who orally committed to UCLA in April, is San Diego’s top returning quarterback. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder was named to CalHiSports.com’s San Diego All-CIF preseason team after earning All-State honors on CalHi’s Junior and Medium school teams.

Last year he led St. Augustine to the CIF San Diego Section Division III title, the first CIF football title at the school since 1970, when he threw for 2,382 yards and 31 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. He completed 59.7 of his passes (163 of 273) as the 10-3 Saints rebounded from a 3-3 midseason slump to win their final five games – including a 3-0 run in the playoffs.

The slump, perhaps not coincidentally, coincided with Forcier’s hyper-extended knee injury. The Saints were off to a 2-0 start before he was hurt in a loss to San Pasqual.

The initial diagnosis was a torn meniscus cartilage that would require arthroscopic surgery. But after the swelling went down, an examination two days later revealed there was no cartilage tear.

With the Saints facing a bye week the following Friday, Forcier was able to return to the lineup without missing a game.

“I was relieved when I didn’t need surgery,” Forcier said. “I learned to keep a positive attitude and not to get down on myself. I did my rehab every day. I didn’t run as much as I did early in the season; I stayed in the pocket. When I ran I was just trying to make a play, but I know in college a quarterback has to stay in the pocket.”

In a normal year, Forcier might have been a first-team All-CIF quarterback in San Diego. But the 2005 season in San Diego was a good one for quarterbacks – as it is again this year with Forcier, Hilltop’s Craig Rasmussen, El Capitan’s Ryan Lindley and Blythe Palo Verde’s David Ortega.