Acadiana speedster Russell Babineaux has enjoyed fittingly fast starts to his high school career and his college recruitment during the past eight months.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound freshman became enough of a dynamic threat for his Wreckin’ Rams this fall to earn all-district second-team honors in a typically competitive Class 5A league.
And this April, he earned his first scholarship offer for the 2025 recruiting class from home-state LSU.
Take me through it. Did you anticipate that things like this would be happening for you this early on in your high school career?
It’s always all a part of the process, so something like this big to be happening this fast and this early is mind-blowing. It’s amazing to be a part of that group and be able to pursue all your dreams this early. I’m lost for words.
Coach Cortez Hankton, a Louisiana native in his first year at LSU as part of this new staff, called over to school and talked to coach (Matt McCullough). Take me through kind of how it actually played out and what the conversation was like to let you know there was a scholarship offer on the table for you.
Coach Cortez called, and he really liked my film. He said all kind of coaches were telling him about this 2025 kid. He said he was really looks for 2023s, but said, “I have to watch this 2025 kid.” So he said he finally got to watch my film and really get to watch it, and he said he really liked my film. And that’s one of the biggest parts of the game. You really have to get that out there. So he called and let me know everything and asked about my parents and their information. So he told me he wanted to extend the offer, and that’s really how it happened.
How emotional and exciting of a day was that for you and your family?
Right when that happened, I was still at the district track meet, so I was kind of sitting there thinking about it, and when it really hit me, it really hits you. Just mind-blowing and amazing.
Were you surprised early on this season that you were able to have that type of an impact for an Acadiana that is a traditional power, a reigning 5A champion and all these things, and to be able to make some plays like that right off the bat to be able to help your team your first high school year?
Yes, sir. The beginning of the season, I would say the first two weeks of Friday nights, the game really had to come to me. And I started to get more comfortable as the season went. So Week 3, I think, we played Southside, and that was one of my breakout games where I really got to see how I was improving over the weeks. So as the weeks went on, I started to have really good games actually. And as the games go on and the season goes on, you really get to see what’s happening, the improvements you’re making and all the things you can do to help your team. And during the season, I’m just thinking it’s crazy, because it is one of the best districts in high school. So it’s something that’s really big.
You end up being a second-team all-district guy in that district as a freshman, which I think says quite a bit. When you started to kind of find your way, find your rhythm and adjust to the game and find what you needed to do to be able to be effective, what were some of the biggest differences for you as you got later into the season? What were some of the areas where you were most proud of the developments or improvements that you showed?
So, I really feel like reacting to the game really quick and everything coming to me was a big part of it, because it’s like, “What can this guy do better?” and “What am I doing better?” And as we went on, it’s crazy to see, because all the improvements I was making, it’s all helping me. And as we went on, coaches were helping … and even like deep balls, passing the ball, we never really threw the ball at Acadiana, so opening the playbook and extending that was really crazy. And we really got to get more plays out of the packages we were coming out of and everything.
What have been some of maybe the best pieces of advice or some of the things that have stuck with you a little bit, whether from your coaches or you have some great older teammates, a lot of whom are going on to play college ball at the end of this year? What are some things you’ve heard whether it be from the coaches or those older guys about how to keep developing and handle being a high school player at a high level or also how to handle some of this college attention that’s now starting so early?
People always told me that the work you put in on and off the field, everybody’s going to be watching at all times. So no matter what you do, if it’s practicing or even getting extra work, staying after practice, showing up first, even in the weight room, they told me to stay in the weight room and stay consistent with everything you do. So if it’s coming out to practice and catching 20 balls right here or 20 balls right there, it’s all gonna help out at the end and you’re gonna see improvement in your game week after week. So they just told me to stay consistent and keep hanging out around the right people, and you’ll be fine.
You mentioned having been at a track meet when the offer was still hitting you, and I know you’re a baseball guy too. What are the events you participate in in track? And are there any other sports? Are you a three-sport guy, or four-sport or just doing a bit of everything over there or?
So, in track, right now I’m running the 200-meter, 100-meter and 4×100-meter relay. And in baseball, I’m playing outfield. And I used to play basketball, but I stopped playing eighth-grade year, so coming into high school I just stuck with baseball, football and track.
You grew up in Louisiana obviously. You last name is Babineaux. You don’t get a whole lot more Louisiana. Did you grow up a big Cajuns fan or LSU fan? Did you pay much attention to college-level stuff? As a kid were you watching a lot of that?
Yes, sir. So actually we grew up out here in Lafayette. And when I was about 6 or 7, we moved back to Baton Rouge and stayed out there. And LSU was a big factor. Being out there in Baton Rouge, we stayed out there for about four years maybe, came back to Lafayette, then back to Baton Rouge, then back to Lafayette.
What does it mean to have the first offer be such a big one in terms of SEC level and just winning a national championship two years ago and to be one of those home-state schools right here to recognize your talent so early on?
Being that it’s one of those top schools, it’s still unbelievable. Being that it’s still my freshman year, so I still have three years to improve and being that it’s so close to home, it’s amazing. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just crazy.
How quickly did you hear from ( Laterrance Welch Laterrance Welch 6'1" | 180 lbs | DB Acadiana | 2022 State LA )?
The first day.
What did he say?
So LT’s always been a guy that told me to keep working, so he’s helped me through the process. So when he heard, he was like, “I told you. I called it.” Because he had told me he was going to bring me out there with him, so working with him he’s always helped me. So he was really happy about it. We got on the phone right after and started talking.
Do you have big plans this offseason as far as getting into the camps and visits and stuff like that? Are you going to get a chance to get over to LSU in June? Do you have other schools you think you’d like to try to get to?
Definitely. I definitely want to get to LSU this summer. I want to get bigger, faster, stronger, show up to the camp and really try to show my game off. I want to get there, and I just want to find other camps where I can really improve at and go against other guys who are bigger and just develop and get better from going and developing this summer… Still figuring (the schedule) out.
