Former Rattlers QB Named Assistant Coach For Florida Gators

ASSISTANT COACH JA'JUAN SEIDER
RUNNING BACK COACH
FLORIDA GATORS
 

GAINESVILLE, Florida --Florida head coach Jim McElwain assigns new roles for two of his returning assistants and announces position assignments for three assistants hired last week.

Ja'Juan Seider also returns to his home state. Seider, a native of Belle Glade, played at West Virginia before transferring to FAMU his senior season. He returned to West Virginia to begin his coaching career in 2008-10 as a graduate assistant. He moved on to Marshall, where he served from 2010-12 as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator before returning to West Virginia as the running backs coach in 2013.

As a quarterback, Seider earned All-America honors and won the Doug Williams Award for National Offensive Player of the Year and the Jake Gaither Award (considered the Heisman Trophy of Historically Black Colleges) following a spectacular senior year at Florida A&M where he passed for 2,512 yards and 27 touchdowns, under legendary Hall of Fame Coach Billy Joe.  He was also named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year and went on to be selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.

COACHING EXPERIENCE
2017-Present Florida Assistant
2013-16 West Virginia Running Backs
2010-12 Marshall Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
2008-10 West Virginia Graduate Assistant
2006-08 Lake Worth Quarterbacks
2003-05 Palm Beach Lakes Offensive Coordinator
2001-02 Glades Central Running Backs

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• In his second stint at WVU, Seider tutored Wendell Smallwood, who was the Big 12 rushing champion in 2015 with 1,519 yards. Smallwood was an All-Big 12 Second-Team selection and a fifth-round NFL Draft selection of the Philadelphia Eagles a year ago.
• In 2014, he coached a WVU offense that ranked No. 9 nationally in passing offense, No. 11 in first down offense, No. 12 in total offense and No. 34 in scoring offense.
• One year prior in 2013, Seider recruited current Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Charles Sims, who transferred to WVU for his final collegiate season after he spent four years at Houston. During that season, Sims rushed for 1,095 yards on 208 carries (5.3 avg) and 11 touchdowns, while catching 45 passes for 401 yards and three touchdowns. He was named first team All-Big 12 while adding the honor of Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
  • Sims was WVU’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2009
• Two of his top recruits at Marshall were quarterback Rakeem Cato, who was named the 2012 C-USA Player of the Year, and running back Kevin Grooms, who Seider recruited and coached
• Three of his freshman backs at Marshall averaged more than five yards a carry in 2012 and the offense finished No. 6 nationally in total offense
• In 2011, Marshall freshman running back Travon Van earned All-Conference USA honors, and Seider helped lead the Herd to the championship of the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.
• During his first tenure at WVU, Seider assisted in the development of three of the Mountaineer’s top quarterbacks, Pat White, Jarrett Brown and Geno Smith
  • In addition, he was part of the staff that posted an 18-8 record and played in the Meineke Car Care and Gator Bowls

 
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
WEST VIRGINIA

• RB WENDELL SMALLWOOD – WVU’s 2015 Offensive Player of the Year, 2015 All-Big 12 Second Team. Became the fourth player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards. Drafted in the fifth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
• RB CHARLES SIMS – 2013 First Team All-Big 12, Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Drafted in the third round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• QB PAT WHITE – 2005 ESPN.com All-Big East, Freshman All-American; 2006 First Team All-Big East, Big East Offensive Player of the Year, WVU MVP, Gator Bowl MVP, Davey O'Brien Award Semifinalist; 2007 First Team All-Big East, Big East Offensive Player of the Year, WVU MVP, Davey O'Brien Award Semifinalist, Walter Camp Award Semifinalist, Heisman Trophy Sixth Place, Hardman Award winner, ESPN All-Bowl Team, Archie Griffin Award, Fiesta Bowl MVP; 2008 Hardman Award winner, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist, WVU MVP, First Team All-Big East, Heisman Trophy Seventh Place, Meineke Car Care Bowl MVP, Senior Bowl MVP. Drafted in the second round by the Miami Dolphins.
• QB GENO SMITH – 2010 Second Team All-Big; 2011 2011 First Team All-Big East, Orange Bowl MVP. Drafted in the second round by the New York Jets.

 
MARSHALL

• QB RAKEEM CATO – 2012 Conference USA Player of the Year. Signed a two-year deal with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.

 
NFL PLAYERS (ROUND DRAFTED)
RB Wendell Smallwood (153rd) – West Virginia ’16 – Philadelphia Eagles
RB Charles Sims (69th) – West Virginia ’14 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
QB Pat White (44^th) – West Virginia ’09 – Miami Dolphins
RB Steve Slaton (89^th) – West Virginia ’08 – Houston Texas
FB Owen Schmitt (163^rd) – West Virginia ‘08 – Seattle Seahawks

Bowl Games as a Coach

2016	Russell Athletic
2015	Cactus
2014	Liberty
2011	Beef O’Brady’s
2010	Gator
2008	Meineke

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Birth date: April 16
Hometown: Belle Glade, Fla.
Education: 2000 – Bachelor’s Degree from West Virginia
                    2010 – Master’s Degree from West Virginia
Family: He and his wife, Brandi, have two daughters, Ava and Brenley, and one son, Jade

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS