Forrest Barnes

MOON TWP — Forrest Barnes is known for his moves on the football field, but this is a change of direction of a different sort.

The 2013 Seneca Valley graduate originally committed to The Citadel, but has transferred to Robert Morris University.

“It was a very tough decision for me to make,” said Barnes, who holds Seneca Valley's all-time rushing record with 3,393 yards and is second in school history with 91 receptions. “Guys who come out of The Citadel go on to be highly successful. It's a very prestigious institution and I wanted to be part of that so bad.

“=In the end, though, I decided that the military aspect just wasn't for me. I made my final decision in August.”

RMU and The Citadel, both Division I-AA programs, were the two schools that offered Barnes a scholarship. While the one from the Colonials is currently no longer on the table, that could change.

“If I am not given a scholarship, I plan to earn one,” said Barnes, a running back. “When I decided to transfer, I knew I wanted to come to Robert Morris. I strongly considered coming here to begin with. I know a lot of the players here and have a good relationship with them.”

Barnes is required to sit out a season because of his transfer, but he is also dealing with a broken bone in his right wrist. Surgery is scheduled later this month.

“I was in the weight room at The Citadel earlier in the summer and was doing push-ups on my fists,” he said. “The trainer told me to do them on my hands and he noticed that I couldn't straighten out my right arm. I had X-rays taken and the doctor told me that I had a broken bone in my wrist and that it's been fractured for about five years.

“I don't know when it happened,” said Barnes. “I didn't notice it at all while playing in high school.”

Former NFL head coach Joe Walton is in his last year of guiding the Colonials, who compete in the Northeast Conference and are currently 1-2. The team runs a pro-style offense, but it could be switched to a spread when current assistant John Banaszak takes the reins in 2014.

“I am a versatile athlete and believe I could do well in a lot of offenses,” said Barnes, “but I played in a spread in high school and that's where I would be most comfortable. I'm pretty excited about us possibly making that switch, but we'll see what happens.”

With no football on his calendar until next season, Barnes' agenda this fall is simple.

“I just want to get into the flow of school,” said Barnes, a sports management major. “I want to heal and be in the best shape as I can for next year. Once I do get on the field, I want to be a key contributor.”