NFL Cuts 2014: Washington discards Lache Seastrunk, Chip Kelly's nemesis

The Washington PotatoSkins released Lache Seastrunk, the RB from Texas whose recruiting got Chip Kelly into trouble with the NCAA, according to Rotoworld.

Seastrunk was a 5-star recruit  from Temple, Texas, a track star as well as a USA Today All-USA football player.

He was the center of Chip Kelly's only recruiting scandal.  Oregon was investigated over sketchy dealings with Willy Lyles, a football "scout" (friend and mentor of Seastrunk) that the team paid $25,000 shortly before the running back committed to the Ducks.

Some thought the $25,000 was a de facto bribe for Seastrunk's services, or a sort of lobbyist fee, but the NCAA's very thorough investigation never found any evidence to that effect.  The violation was technical -- scouting reports are required to be in writing, but when asked to produced his report, it was found to be old, rehashed material.  My sense is that Willie Lyles might not have been the world's most fluent writer, and delivered his real reports verbally. When pressed to produce paper, he cobbled together whatever h could.

The team was put on probation and lost a scholarship for three years, and Chip Kelly would need NCAA permission to resume coaching at the college level before the end of 2014.

After Oregon recruited Seastrunk, he never actually played for the Ducks.  His freshman year, the team was led by star running backs LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, and went to the National Championship Game. Seastrunk redshirted. The following summer, the Ducks recruited an even faster RB, De'Anthony Thomas, and Seastrunk  transferred to Baylor before the season began.

His only carries for Oregon were in the Spring Game, playing for the Green team in the scrimmage.  His final line was 11-35, with one reception for 7 yards.

Seastrunk became surplus in Washington with the emergence of Silas Redd, the USC transfer who also caused Chip some grief in his college days -- but only on the playing field.