Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the University of Washington’s All-America tight end, has decided to skip playing basketball for Lorenzo Romar’s Huskies this winter, a decision he made in order to rest and concentrate on academics. The university made the announcement Thursday after Seferian-Jenkins consulted with Romar, football coach Steve Sarkisian and Seferian-Jenkins’ mother, Linda.
“I just need to focus on school and get (rested). I don’t feel like I’d be of help to the basketball team much right now,” Seferian-Jenkins said.
The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Seferian-Jenkins played in 17 games for the UW basketball team last winter after the end of his freshman football season. He averaged 7.2 minutes per game for the Pac-12 regular season champions, becoming the first athlete at the school to play football and basketball in the same academic year since Nate Robinson in 2003.
For the UW football team this past season, Seferian-Jenkins had 69 receptions for 850 yards. His yardage mark set a school record, breaking the mark of 795 set by Dave Williams in 1965, He was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate tight end.
Seferian-Jenkins’ 69 catches set a single-season school mark for a tight end. He owns Washington’s career tight-end marks with 110 catches, 1,388 yards receiving, and 13 touchdown catches. Two weeks ago against Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl, Seferian-Jenkins had six catches for 61 yards.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2144497 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2144497">1 Comment
Too bad because there’s definitely an opportunity to play on the current team but good to see him realizing that he needs to focus on his Academics and being accountable for it.