Matt Forte' Chicago Running Back
Tulane Star Broke Records Before Many NFL Fans Knew His Name
Sep 11, 2008 Carroll Trosclair
One game doesn’t make a career or even a season, but the Chicago rookie running back may be the surprise of the 2008 National Football League season. In his NFL debut against Indianapolis, the former Tulane University finance major ran 23 times for 123 yards, the third highest in the season-opening weekend. He also caught three passes for 18 yards.
ESPN quickly, perhaps too quickly, projected Forte’s opening game running into a season total of 1968 yards on 368 carries. His performance against a respected Indianapolis defense sent statisticians searching their record books. They came up with some surprises:
First Rookie Starting Running Back Since Walter Payton
- Forte' was the first Chicago rookie running back to start in an opening game since Walter Payton in 1975;
- His 123 yards was the most ever gained by a Bears' back in his first pro game;
- His performance was the 12th-highest rookie rushing debut in NFL history;
- His 50-yard touchdown run was the longest in five years by a Chicago back.
Not bad for a guy who wasn’t selected until the 44th pick of the 2008 NFL player draft, or for the sixth running back selected in that draft, or for someone who was playing with a team that lost eight games last season.
Senior Bowl Most Valuable
Forte' was not selected until the second round of the draft although he finished second in NCAA Division 1-A rushing last year with 2,127 yards on 361 carries for a 5.9 yard average, and despite the fact that he was voted the 2008 Senior Bowl most valuable player. In the Senior Bowl he led the runners with 59 yards and caught four passes for 38 yards, including a 13-yard reception on the game’s winning touchdown drive.
His profile going into the draft compared him to Edgerrin James, saying he "shows the same balance, body control and burst to gain valid yardage after the initial hit."
He told USA Today that coming from a small school was "one of the knocks people had on me." But he added "I just take that as motivation. It doesn't matter what school you go to, it's what kind of player you are."
The 6-foot-2-inch Forte' runs the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds which makes him difficult to catch in an open field. He is also elusive, a skill he displayed in the first game.
He was born in Lake Charles, LA. At Slidell High School near New Orleans, he was an honor student, lettered in football and track and won second team all state honors as a running back. He was, however, passed up by the major football colleges.
2005 Tulane Katrina Team
At Tulane, Forte' studied finance and lettered in football four years. He was a member of the 2005 Tulane Katrina team that was left homeless by the hurricane. The team was forced to find new living, practice and game locations.
Despite the post hurricane problems of his sophomore year and although he missed part of his junior season because of a knee injury, Forte' set school career records with 39 rushing touchdowns and 44 total touchdowns. He averaged 99.2 rushing yards per game, another Tulane record.
He was named to the 2007 Sports Illustrated second string all-America team and to the Associated Press third string all-America team.
At Chicago, Forte' became the starting running back midway in preseason. In the opening game against Indianapolis he outgained all the running backs selected ahead of him in the draft.
Coaches have praised his work ethic and calm confidence.
References:
- Mike Dodd, USA Today, September 8, 2008
- Tulane Green Wave website
- ESPN NCAA College Football Statistics
- National Football League player draft website
Chicago Rookie Matt Forte
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