The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Catching up with: Bo Scaife
05.22.2012 | Football
May 22, 2012
Former Texas TE Bo Scaife played for the Longhorns in 1999, 2001, and 2003-'04. He was a 2004 John Mackey Award candidate. His 75 career catches for 997 yards are third and fourth, respectively, on the UT all-time tight end lists and he caught a pass in his 33 of his 38 final games. Scaife was tabbed a 2004 preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith's and was named honorable mention All-Big 12 by The Associated Press in 2003. He caught a team-high five passes for 68 yards against Michigan to help Texas defeat the Wolverines, 38-37, in the 2005 Rose Bowl. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL draft and spent six seasons there before signing a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011. He spoke to MB-TF.com during spring practices.
What brought you back to practices the last few days?
[Head] Coach [Mack] Brown and [recruiting oordinator/tight ends] Coach [Bruce] Chambers reached out to me and wanted me to come down here to visit with the guys and the tight ends. As an ex-player and someone who is close to the University, I love to do those types of things. Any kind of influence I can have or motivation I can have on the young guys to help them be better men or players, I am always for that.
What is your relationship with Coach Chambers like?
He is one of those guys where we don't talk all the time, but every time we do talk it is like we talk all the time. He never misses a beat. He has been mentor to me, a great coach to me, a great man to me and I have learned a lot. I will always be forever in debt to him, Coach Brown and the University.
How did a guy from Denver, Colorado, end up at the University of Texas?
Well, you have to be sweet [laughs]. It was a long road. I went to A&M camp when I was like 16 and that was my first glimpse of being around Texas players and the caliber of the players. I have always been a guy who thought of myself as one of the elite. So being around the best players in the country, I couldn't have it any other way.
When you first got here, what was different about Texas in general?
The best thing that I noticed when I got here was, being from Denver and not knowing anyone, was how they accepted me with open arms. Guys are usually distant toward outsiders, but I really got to experience southern hospitality first hand. We were the only guys here on campus; no one else was here, no other students. Everyone embraced me, and they are my friends to this day.
Tell us about the family atmosphere that exists here in this program.
I know a lot of players from other universities and when they speak about their university they do not talk about the alumni like we do. We are respected all over the country and all over the world by other athletes and other players, and that is because we have that family bond. They see us together whether it is[in]Austin, New York or California. We are always all together, and if we do not see each other then we always make sure we speak. We have a great family environment, and I think Coach Brown is the leader of all that. He made everyone comfortable with being like that.
When you got into the NFL, did you feel like you finally reached your dreams especially in dealing with the injuries you had while at Texas?
It has been a long road for me. Coach Brown will tell you firsthand. We talked and he said, `Maybe you need to shut it down.' I always hear people telling people that you can't do this or you are not going to do that, and I have always been one of those people that guys told that to. I am excited with what I have been through. It has shaped me and it has built my character and given me strength with things outside of football. For anyone who has gone through things in their life and people are doubting them, you just have to believe in yourself.
You mentioned to the team a few days ago that guys should not only persevere but they should cherish their experiences. Can you expand on that?
When you come to the University of Texas, you have to understand that this is a privilege. We have first-class facilities, first-class everything; 100,000 [fans] you are playing in front of. Kids all over the world wish they could be a part of what we created here. So, you really have to take it in and enjoy it because you do not know what is promised tomorrow or down the road. This is a wonderful opportunity. The kids may be too young to understand it right now, but when you get done with Texas and are out in the league or in real-life situations, you will appreciate the people here that tried to help you excel in life and tell you the right things to be successful.
This year was more of a reset year for you. Can you tell me what this year was like and how you got your mind and body prepared to compete a few more years in the NFL?
I had neck surgery in September. It was hard not playing, but at the same time it allowed me to find myself and regroup mentally and physically. Everyone needs a break to relax and soak things in. I have gotten six months to do that and be around my family and talk to people in my life that love and care about me. I think I needed that time, and I feel like I'm brand new.
When you went to the Tennessee Titans, you got to play with guys that you played with at Texas. What was it like to keep that contingent together at the next level?
It makes me so proud to be a part of something like that. Knowing what we all went through from not having anything to sharing clothes with each other and trying to survive together. College is nothing like the NFL. So just knowing where we came from and what we went through together and where we finally made it to, it was so rewarding for me. I am proud of those guys, and I know they feel the same way about me.
Was it special playing with guys that you had played with in college?
Definitely. The NFL isn't like a college atmosphere. Being around the guys that you grew up with and had been through a lot of things with made the transition a lot easier. You just smile when you see them out there making plays just like they did when you were 18 and 19 years old. They have all had great careers and hopefully everyone continues to.
