Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
By Daniel Hill
Sports Writer
Why is Lache Seastrunk stuck on the bench?
Coming out of Temple High School, Lache Seastrunk was a superstar and a coveted recruit as a five-star running back. Now that he has been cast away from the spotlight and thrown aside on the Baylor Bears depth chart at running back, Seastrunk took to Twitter Monday to express his discontent with his lack of playing time so far this season. Seastrunk tweeted many cryptic and coded messages, but it was easy to see he wasn’t happy with his role as a third string running back.
With scholarship offers from nearly every powerhouse college football program in hand, Seastrunk
opted to go to the University of Oregon and play for the Ducks in Chip Kelly’s high octane, up-tempo offense.
After one year at Oregon, Seastrunk
spontaneously transferred to Baylor and showed up on Waco’s campus in August of 2011.
After redshirting during his first year at Oregon and sitting out the 2011 season because of transfer eligibility rules, Seastrunk is finally eligible to get on the field here at Baylor.
But this begs the question, why is Seastrunk not getting on the field?
He is arguably Baylor’s most talented, fastest and quickest running
back. Just looking at the physical skills alone, it is mystifying
that Seastrunk is not getting at least a share of the carries. I’m not saying that Seastrunk should be the starting running back and at No. 1 on the depth chart, but I do think he should at least be receive a few carries.
Baylor’s current starting running
back, senior Jarred Salubi, was only a two-star recruit out of Waco High School. Junior Glasco Martin, Salubi’s backup, was actually
a four-star recruit out of high school.
Salubi is a senior now and has earned the starting job, and he should be the starting running back. Nonetheless, it is odd that someone with as much physical talent as Seastrunk has only received
four carries in two games, much of which occurred when the game was already decided.
In those four carries, Seastrunk
has run for 54 yards and one touchdown. He’s averaged 13.5 yards per carry this season. Why is he not getting more of a chance to play?
On Twitter, Seastrunk expressed
some discontent at the fact that he has been stuck on the bench behind Salubi and Martin.
The Lariat tried to interview Seastrunk, but he was unavailable.
Just through examining the physical skills, it seems as if Seastrunk
has a point. He was clocked with a 4.34 40-yard dash with a vertical jump of 42.5 inches. By comparison, Salubi ran a 4.46 40-yard dash. Seastrunk is certainly faster than Salubi.
Seastrunk and Salubi are practically
the same size. Seastrunk is taller at 5’10” while Salubi is listed at 5’9”. Seastrunk weighs 205 and Salubi is 210.
As far as size goes, the two are nearly identical, with Seastrunk getting the edge in height and Salubi the nod in weight.
However, Seastrunk does have the advantage in the speed department.
As far as on-field skills go, Lache Seastrunk could bring something unique to the team, and it’s curious that he has not received more of a chance to prove his talent.
The running back has to do far more than run the ball. He has to pick up the blitz, and he has to block incoming defensive players. Coach Briles knows his football. Perhaps it is because of deficiencies
in blocking or blitz pick-up that Seastrunk is being relegated to the bench. Seastrunk’s pure athleticism
should lead to him getting on the field more as the season progresses.
