What Steve Sarkisian Said About Laurence Seymore's Eligibility Status

The Texas Longhorns entered this offseason having to address multiple positions through the transfer portal.

But ask any Texas fan, and they would say that bolstering the offensive line was at the top of this list.

The Longhorns did just that by adding a handful of talented offensive linemen, including Western Kentucky's Laurence Seymore. However, he is facing some eligibility issues, something Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian addressed while speaking to the media on Monday.

Laurence Seymore Has "Really Compelling" Argument to Win Case

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks out of the locker room prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Seymore submitted an eligibility waiver to the NCAA this offseason in hopes of being granted one final season of college football.

An official ruling has yet to made, but Seymore and the Longhorns recently submitted a new waiver that Sarkisian thinks could make Seymore's case "really compelling."

"He had a waiver submitted when we signed him, the NCAA has allowed us to resubmit that waiver with some new information in a way that makes this case really compelling," Sarkisian said. "Nothing has been decided yet, so I'm hesitant to say I'm confident in much but, I do think that with us having the opportunity to submit that waiver with our people, with some of the information Laurence was able to supply us, and some of those of the previous universities that he was at, we'll see where it goes, but we haven't gotten anything back yet."

If Seymore is granted eligibility, he would immediately slot in as a starter on Texas' new-look offensive line. Last season at Western Kentucky, all 764 of his snaps came at left guard.

Seymore also spent two seasons with the Miami Hurricanes, playing 24 offensive snaps and two games in 2021. This is likely the point of contention in Seymore’s waiver for eligibility. He played six games and 254 offensive snaps in 2022, starting four.

Seymore joins transfers Melvin Siani (Wake Forest), Dylan Sikorski (Oregon State) and Jonte Newman (Texas A&M) as the portal additions for Texas on the offensive line. The Longhorns also bring back Trevor Goosby, Brandon Baker and Connor Robertson along Andre Cojoe, who is set to return after missing all of 2025 with a torn ACL.

Overall, Sarkisian said he's "comfortable" with what Texas has up front.

"I feel very comfortable with that group," Sarkisian said. "But again, I think probably the bigger picture and the bigger issue, it's one thing just to look at the five guys, I think it's the totality of what we're doing around them as well."