Dirty Ducks?

Did Oregon pay $25,000 to land Lache Seastrunk?

Oregon and LSU meet in the premier game of the first weekend of the 2011 college football season; and just like LSU’s 2010 opening opponent, Oregon will be under NCAA investigation.  If you recall, last season UNC was under investigation for a number of allegations involving the football team.  Now it appears Oregon is in the middle of a very suspicious set of facts which, to speak plainly, “stink to high heaven.”

The basic facts are as follows: On February 3, 2010, two high school players based in south Texas, Lache Seastrunk (5 star, rated #3 RB in country) and Dontae Williams (4 star, rated #12 RB in country) sign with Oregon.  It is well known that a man named Willie Lyles is a “mentor/confidant” of both players.   One month later, Oregon pays Lyles $25,000 for recruiting information on the 2011 recruiting class.  It turns out that NOT ONE player profiled in Lyles booklet was a member of the 2011 class.  Most were from the 2009 class, making the “information” Lyles provided virtually worthless.  Oregon’s current starting RB is LaMichael James.  James is from south Texas as well and was also “mentored” by Lyles.

Thus far Oregon has not made any substantive comments regarding the facts that have come to light.  Not surprising since the NCAA is digging deep into the Oregon program.  Apologist would have you believe that the unscrupulous Lyles duped Oregon and the signings of James, Seastrunk and Williams are merely a coincidence.  No way I buy that.  Oregon’s head coach Chip Kelly is one of the sharpest guys in the business and college football head coaches are notorious control freaks.  Did I mention that even after Lyles delivered the virtually worthless 2011 packet, Oregon continued to do business with him?  The NCAA is going to slap Oregon for this; the only questions are how serious will the penalties be and who gets pink slipped.