Forst unfazed by revolving door at QB in second year

As the Rutgers football team delves approaches the end of spring practice season, answered questions such as starters and plays are continuously replaced with new ones. But the most prominent remaining question mark is at the quarterback position.
The quarterback situation is an issue that affects the whole team, but one that sophomore offensive lineman Art Forst is not concerned with too much.
“It doesn’t matter who is back there,” Forst said. “It’s a new person; it’s a new voice.”
Forst, a four-star prospect from out of high school, according to Rivals.com, came onto the football team late last year. The sophomore ended his high school career at Manasquan High School with a 29-5 record, including an impressive 12-0 perfect season in 2006.
The ability of Forst and his offensive linemates to protect the quarterback was evident by the end of the 2008 season, as graduating senior Mike Teel was able to exploit defenses with tenacity reminiscent of the days of Ray Rice.
Forst showed that this year his role would be no different, making some key blocks in the team’s second spring scrimmage, including one that allowed for a scrambling sophomore running back Ben Boursiquot to reach end zone late in the game.
The new quarterback would only mean a different person to protect for Forst, who admitted that there would have to be some minor adjustments made to accommodate the change of persona in the pocket.
“You just have to get used to the language,” Forst said. “How they say things, how they call their cadence and whatnot.”
But even as the quarterbacks vying for the starting job were switched out during Saturday’s scrimmage, the offensive line operated as if there was no change.
Each quarterback was allowed an ample amount of time in the pocket for passing. Against the first string defense and an equally aggressive second wave, the offensive line took the changes in stride to allow either Dom Natale or redshirt freshmen Steve Shimko and D.C. Jefferson ample time to get the ball away.
What the quarterbacks were able to do with the time remains a topic of discussion, but for now, Forst and company will focus on the little things required to get them to the next level.
“We need to communicate,” he said. “We communicate well, but we need to get better and all be on the same page.”
For the rest of the spring practices, the offensive line will be working on a lot of fine tuning, as minuscule things such as hand placements and a continued understanding of the man calling the shots behind them would start to play a much more important part in offensive productivity.
Individually, the experience from last year’s comeback season will prove integral to what the offensive line will reach for this season, with the reins in the hand of a new quarterback.
“With a year under your belt, you see things,” Forst said. “That allows you to be able to react better to what happens into protection. I don’t think I would be able to do that as well if I didn’t play last year … I suppose it’s the experience more than the X’s and O’s.”