Washington's coaches might tell you the answer Austin Seferian-Jenkins gave about potentially becoming one of the great tight ends in Washington history is exactly why he will become one.

"It's only been four games, that's what I'd tell those people," Seferian-Jenkins said of those who want to anoint him as the one to rekindle the UW tight-end flame. "I've just got to focus on the next game, and that's Utah. All that with the great tight ends that came through here, let's just hold off on that and get through one game at a time, y'know?"

Through four games, though, there's little to indicate Seferian-Jenkins won't live up to all the hype that greeted his commitment to UW in Aug. 2010, when Husky fans immediately began envisioning him as the one to again turn Washington into Tight End U.

The school was so proclaimed by Sports Illustrated in the late 1990s after producing a steady string of noteworthy tight ends, many going on to long NFL careers, such as Mark Bruener, Ernie Conwell, Aaron Pierce, Cam Cleeland, Jerramy Stevens, Eric Bjornson and Dave Williams.

But like a lot of aspects of the UW program, the tight-end spot has lagged the last decade, and might have reached its nadir last season when, for a variety of reasons, the Huskies were essentially without a tight end for the final few games.

"Last year, we tried to manufacture the position in so many different ways," said offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.

No more. UW now has three prototype tight ends in Seferian-Jenkins and redshirt freshmen Michael Hartvigson and Evan Hudson.

Seferian-Jenkins has made the biggest impact so far, at least from a receiving end, with nine catches for 170 yards and three touchdowns, giving the Huskies a presence in the middle of the field lacking last season. Washington's tight ends combined for six catches for 47 yards and one touchdown in 2010.

"It's great," said Sarkisian. "It opens up a whole new world for us, and there is still plenty more out there for us to do."

Indeed, while fans may want to marvel at what the 6-foot-6, 258-pound Seferian-Jenkins has already done — the two long catches that ignited the offensive explosion against Hawaii, the two TDs last week against Cal — coaches and Seferian-Jenkins talk mostly of the need to improve.

Seferian-Jenkins ended his last reception of the Cal game with a fumble, a day when Sarkisian said he carried the ball a little loose all game. So that has been an emphasis for this week.

"Just keeping the ball high and tight," he said. "I didn't do that last week, and that was the cause of the fumble."

There's also the constant work on his blocking, something he wasn't called on to do much at Gig Harbor High School.

"I'm not really happy with my blocking right now," he said.

Sarkisian says Seferian-Jenkins' biggest challenge blocking may be mental.

"Believing in himself," Sarkisian said. "I think guys, especially at tight end, when they hesitate they can get beat and all of a sudden they are pass-protecting against a defensive end or they are blocking down on a defensive end, and if you hesitate against those guys they are big, strong and fast in our conference and they can beat you."

What he can add to the offense, however, has been evident from the day he arrived in the March, graduating early so he could enroll in time for spring practice.

"Any time you have a guy with that kind of size and speed and hands — he has done some really good things," Nussmeier said.

"It really forces the linebackers to be very disciplined, especially when the quarterback starts moving around a little bit."

And keeping the defense honest is making Seferian-Jenkins' impact just that much greater.

Notes

• Sarkisian said RB Johri Fogerson will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury suffered in the first quarter Saturday against Cal. He will have surgery Friday and be out up to eight months. Sarkisian said the team will apply for a medical redshirt year so he can return for a fifth season of eligibility in 2012.

RB Jesse Callier also remains limited in practice with a hamstring injury, though Sarkisian said the hope is he can play Saturday. With Fogerson out and Callier limited, Bishop Sankey took most of the snaps as the backup to Chris Polk in practice.

• Sarkisian said six walk-ons have been awarded scholarships — snapper Brendan Lopez, FB Jonathan Amosa, receiver/holder William Chandler, punter Kiel Rasp, RB Cole Sager and Hudson. School began Wednesday.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com