No Diva In Austin Seferian-Jenkins

June 25th, 2014

One thing stands out quickly when you talk to manbeast, 6-foot-6, Bucs rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins: This is one mature, eloquent 21-year-old.

Joe dug up the audio below of Seferian-Jenkins on KJR-AM, his hometown sports radio station in Seattle. Speaking following Buccaneers rookie minicamp, the 38th overall pick last month — and winner of the John Mackey award honoring college football’s No. 1 tight end — got drilled to talk about his changed and possibly frustrating role in the Washington Huskies’ offense in 2013. Seferian-Jenkins wouldn’t bite.

The rookie’s exchange with the radio host pushing him on that and a variety of topics is quite polished.

One great retort from Seferian-Jenkins: “Anyone that would tell you they would rather have better personal stats than wins, I don’t want to play with that guy.”

On Lovie Smith: “I’ve never had a coach that coaches the way he does. It’s really interesting. He’s really a teacher. You know he really embraces teaching young men and really growing them as men.”

Enjoy the audio below:

44 Responses to “No Diva In Austin Seferian-Jenkins”

  1. Stanglassman Says:

    There is a great video on you tube of ASJ during his draft day hanging with his family, close friends and taking the phone from Liche and Lovie.

  2. Stanglassman Says:

    ASJ draft day hanging with family and friends, get call from Bucs.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkbDiNUuUm4

  3. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Lets hope he hires a driver…..like most of the other millionaire NFL players should.

    But….you’re right….at 21 years old you don’t expect this much maturity…we sometimes forget that these muscular atheletes in big-man bodies are still just kids or at the very most….young men……

  4. Touch_Down_Tampa_Bay Says:

    “I’ve never had a coach that coaches the way he does. It’s really interesting. He’s really a teacher. You know he really embraces teaching young men and really growing them as men.”

    Man this is music to my ears…
    …barking not necessary

  5. Skyline Crew Says:

    Let’s hope the success and maturity keep growing with him.

  6. Chris Says:

    Ya know I see all these “barking” comments towards schiano. Some need to remember. Gruden was a hard ***. So is coughlin and so is bellichik. So is harbaugh.

  7. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    @Chris,

    Those guys you mentioned have a piece of jewelry that Schiano doesn’t. Also, they can actually coach, as opposed to being really good at making sure the correct pasta is used. Do me a favor, never put Schiano’s name in the same sentence as those guys. Like ever!

  8. Suq Maddiq Says:

    Why does the offseason have to be so long? Can’t we just dress up the tb storm in bucs uniforms and make them candidates for NFL playing time? Nobody goes to the arena games anyways

  9. Chris Says:

    Hawain,

    Those guys also took their lumps before they built powerhouses.

  10. robert8 Says:

    joe I get more advertisements on here than the last time I was in times square. love the news, but it’s getting very un-user friendly

  11. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    No Chris, just no. Seriously, no. Not even worth arguing. Look up their careers and then look up Schiano’s. If you still see similarities, seek immediate medical attention.

  12. Chris Says:

    For gosh sales Cleveland fired bellichik. How is that not a rough start? Lol. I’m not saying schiano is the next great thing. But there are many coaches who hard ***. Doesn’t mean they are a bad coach. Schiano is a good coach. He was too stubborn to adjust the schemes and that I will agree with as to why he got canned.

  13. Chris Says:

    Heck I can tell you that I’m getting the feeling lovie is stubborn. He’s failed to realize you need a qb in this league. He still thinks he can win with average and below average. That’s what scares me as a fan.

  14. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    Bellicheck got fired because the team and city melted down because they were moving to Baltimore. He had success there, but obviously you don’t know the history.

    So exactly what makes Schiano a good coach? Is it his mediocre record at a mid major college? Was it his fascination with people putting their toes on the line!? Was it his mastery of bum rushing the kneel down? Was it his 11-21 record as a pro coach? Was it his inability to get along with his players? Was it his empty promises that he would get the team turned around? Was it his sending off good players that didn’t buy into the bs he was spewing? Was it his love affair with Rutgers players and coaches? Was it his laughable high school mentality he brought to our team? Should I go on?

  15. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    And where exactly did you expect Lovie to get a qb? I didn’t realize Tom Br-ady was available in free agency. Knowing you need one and actually getting one are two entirely different things.

  16. Chris Says:

    Well going with a journey man back up and a guy leading an offense that looked without a pulse, there were options available come draft time. Garroppolo, and bridgewater , there were opps.

    But we’ll see. I’m not against what was built around the qb. But I just don’t see glennon as the future star.

  17. JFat Says:

    And Bridgewater / Garropolo have done so much in the NFL it’s reasonable to think they will do better than McCown or Glennon.

  18. Chris Says:

    And what have glennon and McCown done? The other two were top notch prospects. Sometimes homerism is blinding to many of you. I’ll never forget the josh freeman wars going back and forth lol.

  19. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    Hawaiian Buc Says
    “Those guys you mentioned have a piece of jewelry that Schiano doesn’t.”

    Schiano might have if he were permitted to draft a first round QB his first year…or if he were given more time and his own GM. Schiano inherited a completely undisciplined team and a QB who he knew would not work out. And when he did get to draft a QB, the Bucs didn’t have the pick needed.

    You can’t deny the defense got better. And SULLIVAN ran the offense.

    And, so far as I know, 2 of those 3 struggled as head coaches the first time around.

    Saying it was because a team moved is a complete crock.

  20. SteveK Says:

    McCown is a veteran and played well in a short stint last year. He deserves first crack, and Mike Glennon gets a little more time to develop. Glennon has a chance to become a good starting QB, it remains to be seen as the opportunity has yet to come.

  21. Chris Says:

    Glennon was average in college. He got drafted because he has a big arm.

  22. DrewH Says:

    @StanGlassMan

    Thanks for the video, I really got amped up watching that. It seems like ASJ has a great head on his shoulders and a very supportive (and non-mattress tossing) family by his side. I can’t wait to see this kid in action.

    I did a ton of research on this kid before the draft, thinking he was going to my buddies team the New York Jets…I was shocked when TB called his name and absolutely ecstatic when the reality sunk in of the Two Towers in Evans and ASJ. Absolutely cannot wait for any type of football to begin again, I really love the infusion done to this team by Licht and Lovie. The O-line is unorthodox at best right now, but until we know Tedford’s system inside and out, we won’t know the type of linemen that he needs to be successful.

  23. FIRETHECANNONS Says:

    Correction, Chris – He has a “Cannon”.

  24. Touch_Down_Tampa_Bay Says:

    @ Chris

    I just have a hard time with Schiano. All he does is for his ego rather than winning. I’m not part of the Mob but when you have Glennon slicing up a SF defense with the no huddle offense and he decides to move away from what is working that is poor coaching. Schiano’s excuse was because “THE NO HUDDLE” was not practice during the week!!!!

    Gruden also barked but he wanted to win. I don’t mind that. Barking is not necessary but not everyone works that way.

    Sullivan ran the offense until Glennon was in the picture. In the Glennon era I would be surprise if it had to be Schiano approved. Do you think Sullivan would stop the no huddle offense when it was working on both drives??? Remember this is the 68 degrees and you better not be smiling on the sidelines personality…

    We are in better hands now.

  25. Chris Says:

    Hm slicing up a SF defense? He didn’t slice up any defense all year. If they ran the no huddle all game, you don’t think the NIners would have adjusted? One of the best defensive minds in the business ? Please. That’s just plain homerism there.

  26. Chris Says:

    Listen I am in no doubt saying schiano should have been kept. The man was stubborn and ran the old school joe paterno outdated schemes at the nfl level where they were a dying breed. He wasn’t adjusting so they moved on. I will say this about schiano. He knows how to develop talent. You look at the players he developed at Rutgers then at the nfl level with the bucs? Pretty outstanding considering none of these guys at Rutgers were near top tier recruits.

    Mason foster going from struggles ear 1 to a complete turn around 2 and 3. Lavonte David improvement from year 1 to year 2 was immaculate. Heck William Gholston didn’t even understand what a pass rush move coming into the nfl and here in the 2nd half of the season was consistently pressuring qbs living in the backfield to the point we think he could be a hidden star.

    I gotta give him credit. He developed guy on and off the field. He got rid of the trash as well. If he adjusted the scheme and didn’t have that douche freeman to deal with, maybe were seeing another year of him. If he adjusts and loses that stubbornness mentality I think he can be successful at the nfl level. But that’s remained to be seen.

  27. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    @Bonzai,

    So you think we were a QB away from a championship? What a ridiculous statement!! Oh my is all I can really say. So he needs his own QB, as well as his own GM. Go ahead and let me know how many coaches get to pick their GM besides Lovie.

    The team went from 7-9 to 4-12, and many of those losses could be put squarely on the shoulders of Schiano with horrendous game management. Literally the most awful coaching I’ve ever seen in a NFL season (aside from some of our 80s teams that were mismatched so badly that Vince Lombardi wouldn’t have made a difference). You are blaming everyone you can think of, except the man most responsible for our collapse. What QB has he ever developed even if we did draft his QB. Is he now a QB guru? What QB would he have drafted? Complete nonsense!

    Yeah, the defense got better. We went from last to the middle. Woopty freaking doo!!!!!! Let’s build him a statue on Dale Mabry. He only has the best 3 technique, best OLB, an All Pro Safety, and had the best CB in the league. He sure is amazing!!! I’m sure most coaches wouldn’t have been able to do anything with such a bare cupboard. As for the offense, don’t give Schiano a free pass on that one. You know damn well he was in Sullivan’s ear about what to run, especially at the end of game. Hell, there’s video on Sound FX of him doing it!!! So keep up with that “he’s a great coach” nonsense all you want, because that great coach is unemployed. Just being interviewed by Cleveland (after an endorsement from Bellicheck) caused a huge uproar within that organization. He’ll be lucky if Rutgers takes him back, but I’m thinking he might be able to be a defensive coordinator at Plant High within a few years. He’s so wonderful.

    Speaking of Cleveland, yes,that actually is the case. I suggest you watch the “Football Life” show about that whole saga. He was actually pretty damn successful in Cleveland, if you actually knew your facts. But then again, you are too busy loving on Schiano.

  28. owlykat Says:

    HawaiianBuc, thank you for reminding the Schiano Mob what a total loser Schiano was. I sometimes wonder if Schiano isn’t participating in this blog under an assumed name with all this worship of Glennon, Schiano’s favorite pet. They are oblivious that Football Focus rated Glennon a below average player, or that he was the worst QB in facing a blitz last year. They refuse to believe Glennon’s arm could only muster speeds averaging under 50 Mph as measured by a radar gun so his arm is nothing special and not near a cannon. They try to blame his poor performance on his OL, but look at Smith’s figures on the number of blitzes that pressured him last year at KC, and they are close to the number of blitz pressures on Glennon last year, but Smith overcame it and led his team to the playoffs. How did Sack Magnet Glennon do? Lovie should have grabbed a QB at 7 in the first round. However, I have faith that Josh is better than Johnson and he can get us in the playoffs, then we trade Glennon
    And pair his draft pick with our first and trade up for Marriota. So we can still get to the SB and win it again and start a Buc’s dynasty. Oh and VSJ will be a star like Jimmie Giles!

  29. Jeffobrien Says:

    I come to this site everyday and enjoy it. But you guys talking about qb like we had a choice you really think bridge water is better than any of the three qbs we have are insane. He had one good game against the gators two years ago. I watched 3-4 games of his this year cause all the chatter we would draft him and I wasn’t impressed. He has no zip on his ball does touch passes reminded me a lot of Danny wuerfell. He is a top prospect cause why who told you this. Then he barely completed 60% of his throws at a pro day with his receivers on there rehearsed workout. He could barely throw a spiral. And garrapolo I watch college football and I barely know anything about him you just heard hype that he is climbing the boards cause he threw well. So I don’t know what you guys are talking about two college
    Qbs who couldn’t dominate we should have drafted to be are savior and the bucs are dumb for having 2 guys who last year in the NFL not NCAA the NFL threw a combined 30 tds and 10 ints battling for the starting position. You guys are really sounding dumb and I’m over it we have the best qb available through free agency or draft and the top rookie qb from last year we are fine.

  30. Chris Says:

    Glennon couldn’t dominate. Was average at the college level. He’s our savior? ^^^ shaking my head.

    There is no schiano mob here. He gets bashed as a “screamer type head coach”. He’s taken a lot of heat when the supposed franchise qb couldn’t lay off the drugs and party scene and caused such a distraction they had to play a rookie who probably isn’t an nfl starting caliber qb early.

  31. Touch_Down_Tampa_Bay Says:

    @ Chris – Is obvious you didn’t watch the game. And nope not part of the MGM just expressing a point. I actually think McCown brings more to the table and gives us the best chance to win. Glennon will learn from him too.

  32. Danati74 Says:

    Schiano was garbage. Thank god he is gone. I never felt so weird about a coach, coaching the team I follow. I was about to become a NY team fan. He can take a year off now and look for another college coach opportunity or another NFL assistant position. I don’t care. Take one look at the past and I’m out. As for ASJ, the new regime was high on him…like a soar thumb. The last good TE to me was Dave Moore. Looking forward to see what this guy can do for our offense. Him and Tim Wright in 2 TE sets with VJAX and M.Evans on both sides.. evan an average QB should be able to do some damage.

  33. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    Saying “Schiano is a good coach” is being part of a mob. He’s so far from being a good coach it’s laughable. Calling him good is delusional. How anyone can defend him after last year is completely beyond me. Besides blaming others and giving him credit for taking an extremely talented defense to average, what exactly did he do well? Did he win close games? Did he run a disciplined teams (by leading the league in personal fouls)? Would any of his players run thorough wall for him (I doubt they’d run through a paper banner for him)? I’ve watched a lot of football in my 37 years on this earth, and I’ve watched a lot of bad football being a lifetime Bucs fan-last year was the worst feeling I’ve ever had about the coaching. I am absolutely confident we would have gone 0-16 had he been retained. We weren’t that far from doing it this year. I can’t wait for the season to kick off, so I have the pleasure of watching a real coach roam the sidelines.

  34. BigSombrero Says:

    Great interviewer for real. He gives the cliche answers but knows how to do it in a way that makes it seem like his giving real answers. Smart kid for sure. Thats a good start.

  35. TBone47 Says:

    That is the whole problem with seahawk fan ……… listen to that interview … smug arrogant B.S. that guy is the 12 fan.nerd that they all are. and i know i live out here in the northwest

  36. Joe Says:

    I come to this site everyday and enjoy it.

    Thanks for the kind words Jeff.

  37. scubog Says:

    I found the interview in which ASJ was clearly being baited by the host, was very impressive. Not sure how the comments digressed into an on-line debate about some former coach and his pet QB.

  38. Touch_Down_Tampa_Bay Says:

    Hilarious! Is Chris Schiano???

  39. Chris Says:

    Yeah. I am. That’s why I said I agreed with the decision to let him go? SMDH.

    It’s hysterical listening to some of you. The thing I can tell you is he developed some quality players at Rutgers and with the bucs. But his schemes and stubbornness to adjust was his demise.

    It also didn’t help he got hired to a team that was probably the worst in the league in 2011 and had a poor talent evaluator in mark dominik.

  40. Bojim Says:

    Chris Said:

    “That’s just plain homerism there.”

    ______________________________________________________

    How is supporting your team’s players homerism? Please explain.

    owlykat Said:

    “then we trade Glennon.”

    _________________________________________________

    Ah, it’s your team now. Maybe you should ask L&L first.

  41. WobbleBuc Says:

    Schiano ruined Freeman, brought in MRSA and tanked the season on purpose. (sarcasm) Schiano was a horrible game day coach but he was also dealt an extremely rough hand last year. He only had two years and I wouldn’t consider his first a “failure” even though I’m all about playoffs or bust. Considering how the end of the 2011 season went, improving by 3 wins in his first year with so many competitive losses could be seen as a success. He was hired late and had to settle for sloppy seconds in coordinators but still had decent success his first year. He was blamed for rigging the captains vote and leaking information on Freeman, both of which seem like complete BS now. I am happy to see Lovie here and I am expecting playoffs this year but to blame Schiano for everything last year is crazy. He will get another chance one day and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him succeed.

  42. Buccfan37 Says:

    I like Schiano too. Things did’nt work out here with the Bucs for many reasons that have already been mentioned. I thought given time and under the right circumstances he could of developed a strong contender here. That we will never know.

  43. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    Excuses excuses excuses. Unbelievable.

  44. Chris Says:

    Lol what excuses? All of that is pretty darn true. You can make an argument that schiano inherited the worst team in the nfl going into 2012. He immediately saw freeman wasn’t very good. If he had more time and adjusted better in the nfl ? Sure. He and dominik seemed disconnected in terms of who to bring in. It seemed disconnected bc a lot of players brought in didn’t seem to fit chemistry wise.