WACO, Texas – Five days after being granted his unconditional release from the University of Oregon football program former five-star recruit, Lache Seastrunk, practiced with the Baylor Bears for the first time.
Seastrunk attended Temple High School, which is located 35 miles south of Baylor University and he has said the reason he wanted to leave the No. 3 Ducks was to be closer to his ill grandparents.
While playing at Temple High School Seastrunk set school records with 4,127 yards rushing and 52 total touchdowns.
It is not clear if Seastrunk will see time on the field for the Bears in the 2011 season as of yet – both team officials and the running back are waiting to see if the NCAA will grant his request for a hardship waiver.
He talked about his release after Thursday’s practice.
Lache Seastrunk made his Baylor practice debut on Wednesday
“I hope, I hope I get that waiver because it’s for my grandmother, my granddaddy. My grandfather, he’s got emphysema, he’s been in and out of the hospital. And my grandmother she’s got hepatitis C. So I’m hoping my stipulations require me to get the, my waiver because it was really hard for me to focus at Oregon thinking of them, wishing I could see them. I really hope I get the opportunity to play.”
If the NCAA denies the waiver request Baylor will not be able to have Seastrunk suit up and play this season.
The university said in a release that Seastrunk has filled out a financial aid contract and will be attending the school even if he cannot play this season.
Baylor’s head coach Art Briles feels that having Seastrunk back in Texas is the best thing for the redshirt freshman.
“I think Lache is back where he needs to be on Texas soil at Baylor University where he will have the opportunity to get a quality education and play football at the highest level,” Briles said. “We’re looking forward to him being a great teammate.”
Seastrunk and Briles have some history and that is another reason that Seastrunk made the move from Eugene, Ore. to Waco, TX.
“He was always honest with men and that you know factored in the decision too, because you know I could have went anywhere else but I just feel like I want to be here then anywhere else,” Seastrunk said.
After his first practice he said that he felt great and was ready to go.
“I feel good, I’m at a 100 percent right now and my legs are fresh,” he said. “I ain’t really been eating too much fast food, so I’m pretty good in that aspect.”
Seastrunk will don the number nine as a Bear instead of 15, which he wore in high school and at Oregon.
Baylor opens their season on September 2 against No. 14 Texas Christian University.
Alan K. Fox can be reached at alanfoxjr@gmail.com and on Twitter @alankfox
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