Spectator Spotlight: Austin Seferian-Jenkins

There’s no denying that the Arizona game was difficult for Husky fans to watch, especially handed down as UW’s third straight loss. But let’s look to the positives – one bright spot of the game was tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who led the Huskies in receiving with eight catches for 110 yards, plus a touchdown. This put his totals on the season at 37 catches for 447 yards and three touchdowns.

Oct 13, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (88) reacts to scoring a touchdown against the USC Trojans during the game at CenturyLink Field. Southern California defeated Washington 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Here are some more facts you should know about the talented young sophomore, occasionally referred to as ‘ASJ’:

1. High Expectations

Seferian-Jenkins is from Fox Island, Washington and attended Gig Harbor High School. Some highlights as a Tide include his junior year, when he caught 62 passes for 1,152 yards and 11 touchdowns, and after his senior year, when he set a school record with 126 career receptions. When the recruiting process began, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound senior was ranked as the No. 1 recruit in Washington State by rivals.com, the No. 2 tight end in the nation by rivals.com and scout.com, and the No. 101 overall recruit in the nation by ESPN.com. Seferian-Jenkins eventually passed over the Texas Longhorns and stayed close to home with the Huskies.

2. Leading Tight End

At the start of last Saturday’s game against Arizona, Seferian-Jenkins was the leading tight end in the nation with 29 receptions. Only half way through the season and Seferian-Jenkins is already close to his 2011 season totals of 41 catches for 538 yards. These numbers mark Seferian-Jenkins’ place in UW history as the fourth most for a tight end in a single season.

Considering how Seferian-Jenkins started the 2012 season, it’s not surprising that his numbers are increasing exponentially. In the opener against San Diego State, Seferian-Jenkins led Washington with a career-high of nine catches for 82 yards, thus contributing to the Huskies’ victory over the Aztecs, 21—12.

3. Terry Baker, T.O and ASJ

If you know what these three athletes have in common, gold star to you! In addition to agility on the field, they all had hops on the court, pulling double-duty as a two-sport collegiate athlete with football in the fall and basketball in the winter. Last year Seferian-Jenkins was a walk-on forward for Coach Lorenzo Romar’s squad. In his debut against Stanford, though he fouled out, his 16 minutes on the floor yield seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal; vital to the UW win, 76—63. The last Husky to play both football and basketball was Nate Robinson, who currently plays in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls. In a recent interview, Seferian-Jenkins was undecided whether he will play basketball for the 2012 season. Though he’s currently on the roster, for now, his focus is on football.