Guard Efseaff Adheres to His Molokan Faith
Bruin guard Eyoseph Efseaff fasted from sundown Tuesday to sundown Wednesday, but he’s not someone who got the day of Yom Kippur wrong.
Efseaff belongs to the Russian Molokan church, a Christian religion that dates to the 1600s. Molokans observe many of the same holidays as Jews.
“A lot of them are a day or two different, that’s all,” Efseaff said. “[Wednesday] was a day of atonement and a day to fast.”
Efseaff, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound redshirt freshman in his first year as a starter, eats only kosher food. He gets special meals on the road from local kosher restaurants, often making teammates envious.
“I’ll get twice as much food and real good stuff,” he said. “Everybody sees what I eat and wants to convert.”
Fullback Ed Ieremia-Stansbury is nearly recovered from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him against Ohio State. He is wearing a brace that he said makes it easier to plant and cut.
As he did before getting injured, Ieremia-Stansbury will split time with Matt Stanley.
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Oregon State receivers coach Eric Yarber is being investigated for obstruction of justice by Corvallis authorities.
Yarber allegedly disposed of a handgun used by his teenage son by throwing it in a river. Yarber’s son is accused of pointing the unloaded weapon at a juvenile female.
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Safety Jason Stephens and tight end Mike Seidman will play against Oregon State despite suffering hip pointers.
