Is "Hayseed" a Racist Term of Endearment for Notre Dame's Harrison Smith?

Affectionately known by Irish players as "Hayseed," Harrison Smith brings a toughness and grit to the Notre Dame defense that reminds everyone of former Irish great, Tom Zbikowski. Smith is slowly becoming a fixture not only at his unique safety/linebacker hybrid position, but also in the minds of Notre Dame fans across the country who have adopted the same affectionate attitude the team has already embraced. "Hayseed" embodies that affection as a single, unique identity defining the Knoxville, Tennessee native. Smith grew up in the shadow of the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium but shunned Phil Fulmer and the Vols to attend a school three hours from the Canadian border.  By attending that school, Smith made a choice to attend a school that is culturally different from his roots in East Tennessee. While Notre Dame is a school that embraces the cultures of the entire nation, the majority of its students come from cities north of the Mason-Dixon line.  Everything from Smith's ... (link)