Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports and Joe Schad and Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com reported Thursday that NCAA officials are investigating a recent $25,000 payment made by the University of Oregon to a Houston man who reportedly may have steered high school football prospects to the school’s football program.
(Oregon Coach Chip Kelly, Lache Seastrunk, Seastrunk “Mentor” Willie Lyles)
In a line-by-line expenditure breakout from a University of Oregon budget summary dated June 30, 2010, a $25,000 payment from the university was authorized to Willie J. Lyles of “Complete Scouting Services.”
Ken Goe of the PORTLAND OREGONIAN reported Thursday, “Lyles has a mentoring relationship with Oregon running back Lache Seastrunk.”
In 2009, Seastrunk was a heavily recruited high school prospect from Temple, Texas.
ESPN.com reported Thursday:
Oregon athletics department spokesman Dave Williford confirmed to ESPN.com on Thursday that Oregon paid Lyles $25,000 for his recruiting services. Oregon’s payment to Lyles was made shortly after Seastrunk signed a national letter of intent in February 2010 to play football for the Ducks, choosing them over California, LSU and USC.
As noted by the Yahoo.com report:
If Lyles and (Dallas-based Baron) Flenory aided in or were involved in any way in the recruitment of student athletes to Oregon, they would be classified as boosters by the NCAA, and any payment to them from the school would be considered a violation of Bylaw 13. Bylaw 13 prohibits boosters from directing a recruit to a school.
In the wake of the Yahoo and ESPN reports, a source familiar with the NCAA’s examination of possible recruiting impropriety involving the Oregon football program told me late Thursday that NCAA investigators will be in Eugene on Friday to initiate a more direct inspection of the recruiting tactics of school’s football program. I’m told the NCAA’s imminent presence in Eugene was in response to revelations in the Yahoo and ESPN reports published Thursday. Before the dueling, breaking news broke Thursday, the NCAA had no plans to be in Eugene.
Thanks in part to information detailed in the Yahoo and ESPN reports, I’ve also learned that the NCAA may request Oregon provide evidence of the “recruiting services” rendered by Lyles in particular. According to records obtained from the Harris County (TX) website, Lyles is the sole proprietor of the unincorporated “Complete Scouting Services” - the same business the University of Oregon paid $25,000 for recruiting services.
The one-person Complete Scouting Services operation is, according to Harris County property tax records, located at Lyles’ home address in Houston.
Yahoo Sports described Complete Scouting Services thusly:
Lyles has also been affiliated with Complete Scouting Services, which claims to offer a national high school scouting and video database nationwide.
ESPN.com reported Thursday of Lyles’ business background:
A handful of FBS football coaches surveyed by ESPN.com on Thursday said recruiting services typically charge $5,000 or less per season for video footage and information about high school prospects.
In the past, Lyles has aligned himself with recruiting services.
But a person who once worked with Lyles said the $25,000 payment exceeded the $16,500 Oregon paid the recruiting service for its work during the previous two years. The source said Lyles’ affiliation with the recruiting service had been terminated prior to Lyles billing Oregon on his own.
Two recruiting services Lyles has been affiliated with since 2004, Elite Scouting Services and Complete Scouting Services, according to records obtained from the Harris County (TX) website, are listed as located at the Houston home address of Lyles.
I will have more details on the NCAA investigation into possible recruiting impropriety by the Oregon football program on Friday.
1:37 am on March 4th, 2011
Get ya popcorn ready
1:54 am on March 4th, 2011
If you look at the recruiting service’s site, you’ll see a “national package” for JUCO recruits costs $15,000 for a national package or $5000 for a regional package (5 regions). Assuming the high school package is just as expensive, Oregon could easily get billed for recruiting info about players for $25,000 very easily. Oregon is now recruiting nationally, so to get a preliminary info from these services about players nationwide (to narrow the field for the assistant coaches to then pursue) makes sense and I”m sure is very common. Not sure why this is a story or even focused on Oregon, unless there’s someone jealous and with an agenda to push.
2:10 am on March 4th, 2011
Bruno,u are thee eternal optomist.Lache commited without even seeing Eugene..never had them in the hunt,and then suddenly commits? Wait till it all comes out…they just admitted to writing bogus checks,wait till the find the hole in the vault.
2:23 am on March 4th, 2011
Just because Lyle “handled” his recruiting doesnt mean squat. Almost every one of these kids has some coach/mentor/advisor who “handles” the recruiting for them. Seastrunks Dad is in prison, and for some people, they don’t have the resources or the experience to handle it themselves. If your kid is getting tons of letters, visits, and phone calls from across the country, I can see where they might want someone with experience to help them “handle” it.
The question is, does a “handler” breaking down the kids options and providing a recommendation (e.g. Oregon has a crazy offense where you will amass huge stats) constitute “steering them to a school”?
This all reeks of Emmerts (a former UW Husky) looking to take Oregon down a peg. Look at these guys and you’ll see they’ve taken money and “steered” kids to lots of different schools.
2:32 am on March 4th, 2011
Considering Seastrunk’s own Mom told his high school coach that Lyles would be handling Lache’s recruiting, I don’t see how the Yucks can avoid Lyles being named a booster.
“Monsen said Evelyn Seastrunk, the player’s mother, informed him that Lyles would coordinate Seastrunk’s recruiting.
“I was told to stay away from Lache and his mother, as far as recruiting,” Monsen said. “Lyles and Lache became good friends and Lache had a lot of trust in him.”
“If Lyles and (Dallas-based Baron) Flenory aided in or were involved in any way in the recruitment of student athletes to Oregon, they would be classified as boosters by the NCAA, and any payment to them from the school would be considered a violation of Bylaw 13. Bylaw 13 prohibits boosters from directing a recruit to a school.’
2:36 am on March 4th, 2011
Gooooooooooooooo DUCK$!
2:58 am on March 4th, 2011
How does this even make sense?
It states Lyles is a “one person Complete Scouting Service”, then it states that he was a member of “Complete Scouting Service” - but left that organization before the UO payment came in. Then it states information obtained by someone else working for “Complete Scouting Service”. If someone else knows $16,500 was paid the previous year and $25K was paid this year, how is it a “one man” operation?
Which is it? Is it a one man operation or a company he used to work for? No matter the actual truth, that is sloppy work by whoever is reporting it.
3:12 am on March 4th, 2011
Hey Mario - Lache committed without ever seeing Eugene?
You might want to inform his Mother on that, because he visited in December 2009 - almost two months before he committed.
4:09 am on March 4th, 2011
Chip Kelly doesn’t let kids commit until they visit with no exception.
4:10 am on March 4th, 2011
BTW, that’s the worst picture of Kelly in existence.
8:05 am on March 4th, 2011
Plain and simple, Oregon should’ve never gotten into bed with Willie Lyles or Flenory. Lyles is well known in TX and is not respected. None of these reports have even tipped the iceberg yet. They are just getting started. Do you honestly think nothing is wrong with paying $25k for tape and historical info on a recruit when you can go to the high school coach for it or use one of the current recruiting services? It’s not like these recruits were unknown. They were highly sought after kids. Lache’s mom just stated that Lyles presented himself as a trainer to her and now Oregon is saying he was a scout. She claims she had no idea he received money for recruiting services for her son. Hold on Ducks this is about to blow big time. If you are not seeing the problem, and think nothing will become of this, you need to take your homer shades off.
8:53 am on March 4th, 2011
My baby boy made that last minute swich to Oregon from USC but it was legit, y’all. Don’t know nothin bout no j-o-b I was promused. No sirrrr, I deny dat. mmhmmm
8:56 am on March 4th, 2011
Well…crap. Here I was focused on all these other schools recruiting violations and now suddenly this happens. Karma?
10:13 am on March 4th, 2011
Not Karma Go*Ducks, just the reality of big time college football. They should have just offered these kids’ parents the money, that would have been ok.
10:27 am on March 4th, 2011
I have no idea whether Oregon is in the wrong or not. I assume that’ll come out in the days ahead. But this whole story seems so incomplete without a deeper look at other schools’ relationship with Lyles. He apparently has something like 25 high-profile recruits he’s worked with recently, and most have ended up at SEC or ACC schools. He has two that ended up at Oregon, and one (LaMichael James) wasn’t considered a top-shelf recruit (Texas didn’t offer). For whatever reason — irritation by other coaches that Oregon pulled a couple of big recruits out of their backyard? — Oregon is the only one in the spotlight.
And I’d like to also see the line-item breakdown for other schools’ “recruiting services” expenditures before we convict Oregon. I know people are saying $5k is a more reasonable number, but has anybody actually examined other schools’ books? I think that’s a rather big part of the story, and it should have been researched before this story came out. If Oregon’s payment is dramatically out of line, then yes, that looks fishy. But Oregon was transparent about its payments, and I’d like to see what other schools have actually paid — not said they paid — for similar services before I completely freak out.
There may be a story here, but it needs to be put in context against other schools’ behavior. Right now, we don’t know squat about how it compares.
10:27 am on March 4th, 2011
Doesn’t really matter if other school’s used his recruiting service, Lyles was handling Seastrunk’s recruitment and therefore any payment to him, especially one that appears to be over market value, is at best shady and a recruiting violation at worst. Anyone inside the athletic department should have been able to put 2 and 2 together and either not used his service or not recruited the kid.
I’m guessing Kelly throws the compliance dept and a graduate assistant under the bus and the NCAA will move on. I mean, it’s not like the NCAA ever investigated Worldwide Wes sending Hairston, Porter and Dunigan up to Eugene.
10:48 am on March 4th, 2011
Mmhmm, and don’t you worry nuthin about Oregon, it’s all legit. So what if the school paid his new soul proprieter company right after seastrunk comited? And so what if Lyles did the work months before the check, while he was with another company? lol aint nuthin fishy about that, no sirr. happens all da time - you work for company A, then get paid for the work months later, at your new solo company. makes sense to me, and its considense that seastrunk got signed right before the check came. mmmhmm
11:04 am on March 4th, 2011
I don’t know what whats going on in Oregon. But a couple weeks before the National Championship game I was at a bar Lamichael James was at and he spent over 6 grand at the bar. Dude was acting like he was going or already in the league. Comes to find out that he was staying put in college for another year. He was really cool tho but my question at the time was So where did all this money come from? I think Oregon is running a dirty program but who isn’t now a days. Its not what you’ve done its what can the NCAAA prove.
11:06 am on March 4th, 2011
Brass monkey,
Of course it matters if other schools were using his recruiting services. If Oklahoma or Texas or Florida or whomever paid a similar amount for Lyles services and didn’t get a Lyles player, that means his services have value outside of “delivering a player.” If, on the other hand, he’s delivered players to a number of schools, and each of them paid higher-than-usual rates, then obviously he’s a pay-for-play guy. And if he’s only accepted money from a couple of schools, then it looks even worse from Oregon, because his services will appear to be completely bogus.
I have no idea how this’ll shake out, but the picture is incomplete right now. We need to know the norm for these situations, and how far outside the norm Oregon sits.
11:07 am on March 4th, 2011
If, Lyles was handling his recruiting, as suggested AND he was taking payment from Oregon for “recruiting services”, this is going to go down ugly. Lyles would then be considered a booster and that is trouble. Seastrunk is one of several on that team that could fall into the same category.
11:08 am on March 4th, 2011
Can’t they just play the “I didn’t know anything about it” card? If it worked for Cam and au, why should ANYTHING happen to the Ducks? Surely the NCAA would just turn a blind eye, as the did in.the $cam case. If not, it would make them look foolish.
11:37 am on March 4th, 2011
Oregon stays cheating and stays losing. They got a million uniforms and they’re all ugly as they come. Oh yea Disney called they want their Donald Duck back you losers. The ducks will be exposed, all in due time. O = no championships.
11:41 am on March 4th, 2011
Artsy,
Why can’t you people tell the difference in Cam’s case and in others? NO money ever changed hands. Cecil asked Miss State for money. Miss State refused. Miss State turned Cam in because he went to Auburn. Auburn did NOTHING wrong. It just happened to be where Cam landed. However, there IS proof that Oregon paid money to Lyles. Just because you think Auburn paid for Cam doesn’t mean they did… and after 8 months of investigating, the NCAA hasn’t found any proof.
11:41 am on March 4th, 2011
“He has two that ended up at Oregon, and one (LaMichael James) wasn’t considered a top-shelf recruit (Texas didn’t offer). For whatever reason — irritation by other coaches that Oregon pulled a couple of big recruits out of their backyard? — Oregon is the only one in the spotlight. ”
James was a coveted back in Texas that year. He didn’t get an offer because TX and OU won’t play the street agent game and James had a handler.
11:57 am on March 4th, 2011
This story makes no sense. The ESPN and Yahoo stories reported that the NCAA was investigating the matter. Your story here says the two stories prompted the NCAA investigation. Whaaa?
12:00 pm on March 4th, 2011
I don’t know if the Ucks are guilty of anything…really don’t care at this point. I’m just enjoying them “not freaking out”. It’s a little like watching cockroaches scurry when the lights get turned on;) You know, as long as it’s not in my house.
12:00 pm on March 4th, 2011
To all those that think the story makes no sense, it’s because it’s still forming. A lot more is going to come out, either in favor of, or against Oregon. Stay tuned.
As a Pac-10 (Pac-12) fan, I have to say that this and all other negative attention the Ducks get is KARMA for Duck fans and their arrogant, condescending attitude of self entitlement! Enjoy the bed you’re sleeping in, you deserve it!
12:08 pm on March 4th, 2011
Oh please. Texas and OU doesn’t play the street agent game? Lyles accompanied Seastrunk on his visit to Texas. No one’s sh*t doesn’t stink when it comes to high-level recruiting. The question is how bad does it stink.
For what it’s worth, James’ initial offers were from Arkansas, Houston, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, TCU and Tulsa. A few good programs, but they aren’t the big players. James was a good recruit, but he wasn’t considered a 5-star can’t-miss prospect. Anyone who believes otherwise is engaging in revisionist history.
12:45 pm on March 4th, 2011
Couldn’t happen to a nicer fan base, like a bunch of hillbillies that won the lottery, they act like they invented the game of football and have been winning NCs for decades. You’d never know they haven’t won a Rose Bowl since WWI.
1:53 pm on March 4th, 2011
I now remember hearing Brent Musberger say during the Rose Bowl that Gary Patterson thought they had LaMichael James coming to TCU. Then Oregon ended up with him. Now it’s all coming together…
1:55 pm on March 4th, 2011
The rest of these colleges are just too sloppy. Auburn paid 180K for a QB and never looked back. They have more experence in cheating though.
1:59 pm on March 4th, 2011
Go Ducks! I love you guys!
2:06 pm on March 4th, 2011
James - that is hilarious to suggest Emmert is going after Oregon cuz of his prior stint at UW. It was Yahoo Sports who did this initial investigation and now the NCAA has no alternative but to at least look into. You are a typical duck fan, everything bad to happen to Oregon is a conspiracy. You should be embarassed with your football program - last year’s crime sprees and now the slimy practices of Chump Belly. Down goes Ali, Down goes Ali!!!!!
2:08 pm on March 4th, 2011
AU sites said Seastrunk commited to them privately after Big Cat weekend where Lyles FLEW with him for an UNOFFICIAL visit. Seastrunk didn’t visit Texas supposedly because he didn’t have the money to make the trip there (his words) .Trooper Taylor got reprimanded for things that happened Big Cat weekend. Trevon Reed and Sean Nelson also were at Big Cat weekend. Michael Dyer and Walt Williams were also at Big Cat weekend. See a trend? Lots of big recruits with handlers at Big Cat weekend. Trooper and AU get hit with secondary violations and suddenly Seastrunk is no longer an AU lock and then “drops” them. Oh, I know, talking points, just like AU was so offended with the MSU stuff with Cam
They were so upset with the handler Lyles they stopped recruiting a 5 star RB they had been all over for months. At the time they were getting Seastrunk, Lattimore, and Dyer acco. Lattimore didn’t have a handler. Lattimore’s mother called out AU for how they recruited her son. (FoxSports,com) 
I know, the timing of stopping the recruitment of Lache AFTER the secondary violations aren’t related at ALL. They pulled back from the “handler”. Oh, but they signed around 5 guys that year who did have handlers. I know, they just loved the air in Lee County. Players who can’t afford to take unofficial visits elsewhere can fly to AU. Players who can’t afford (their words, not mine) to make unofficial visits elsewhere fly to AU or drive to AU and come home showing off cash and I phones. Oh, they get reimbursed for the trip? Sorry, that is why it is an UNOFFICIAL visit. You can only LEGALLY get reimbursed for OFFICIAL visits.
Yep, nothing smells fishy here….at all.
Lesson for Oregon, don’t sign recruits who have handlers and especially those who have handlers who have a “relationship” with Trooper Taylor.
4:14 pm on March 4th, 2011
Nice work Brooks.
Did you happen to notice that he registered his Complete Scouting dba on December 28, 2009, (9 days after Seastrunk visited UO, less than a month before Seastrunk signed and less than 3 months before he got paid)?
And did you happen to notice on the UO records that Lyles is the highest paid individual scout/scouting service they have ever used?
They paid this guy, with a brand new “business” $7-8K more than they paid established recruiting guys like Lascola in 2009. And it was $18,500 more than they paid Elite Recruiting for their scouting services ($10,000 is listed under a “Misc” category, not related to publications like scouting reports). I guess accounting made them list ‘commission’ payments separately in that year…..
5:39 pm on March 4th, 2011
Funny how duck fans try to drag other schools into their mess.
Just wait until they get a look at Uncle Phil’s books.
10:54 am on March 5th, 2011
I guess there were no NCAA investigators “in Eugene on Friday to initiate a more direct inspection of the recruiting tactics of the school’s football program”.
So that source might not be so good?
Obviously the issue didn’t end Thursday night and continues to get looked into. Oregon apparently has been in contact with the Pac-10 and the Pac-10 with the NCAA. To suggest the NCAA was rushing out to Eugene to start an investigation proves to be inaccurate.
4:18 am on March 10th, 2011
you guys are idiots, they whole Lamichael james at the bar story where he paid $6000 dollars for drinks, do you retards not know how scholorships work for student atheletes. They get a certain amount of money a month to spend on what ever they want. He Probably saved up some of the money he didn’t spend because Athletes are not allowed to get jobs in the community. And Plus all the other schools do the exact same thing. Deanthony Thomas was given clothes from USC to wear on signing day, and so does oregon and every othere NCAA school.
Plus the whole Lyles thiing I guarranty that other Scouting Agencies get that Much money every once in awhile to get a top notch recruit Like seastrunk. I guarranty the NCAA would do that if they where the Schools AD. or even if you where a booster. ITs like when the whole SMU thing just got way out of hand paying players, EVERY UNIVERSITY DOES IT>
1:33 am on July 10th, 2011
Somebody please tell me why Yahoo seems to think they are sports investigators. Both the USC mess and the Oregon mess are direct results of Yahoo reporters feeling they have the right to investigate NCAA football programs. This is a angle no one ever talks about. I am sick of the arrogant crud coming out of Charles Robinson and the other yahoo Jason Cole as if they have some special talent. Reality is they are just looking for a story..period. The NCAA then reacts to blown up stories in the press. Therefore there inaccurate reporting has resulted in ridiculous investigations because the NCAA has to make things appear that there in control.