Punch at Boise ends Blount's season

[ponyfan08]

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon has suspended running back LeGarrette Blount for the remainder of the season for punching Boise State linebacker Byron Hout after Thursday night's loss.



McShay: Blount Blows Chance At NFL

His sucker punch at the end of Thursday's loss at Boise State will sink out-of-shape Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount's chances of an NFL career, Todd McShay writes. Blog



Immediately following Boise's 19-8 victory, an ESPN replay of the incident showed Hout taunting Blount as the teams converged onto the field. As a Broncos assistant coach moved to separate Hout from Blount, the Oregon senior threw a right cross that connected with Hout's right jaw. Hout went down and popped right back up.

"Under no circumstance is fighting acceptable," the NCAA said in a statement Friday. "If it occurs before or during a game, the officials enforce the rules. If it occurs after a game, institutions and conferences decide how to address the situation. We trust our members to handle these situations appropriately. Sportsmanship is everyone's responsibility, including student-athletes, coaches, officials, institutions and fans.

In a statement prior to Blount's suspension, Oregon president Richard Lariviere called the player's behavior "reprehensible."

"We do not and will not tolerate the actions that were taken by our player. Oregon's loyal fans expect and deserve better," Lariviere said. "The University of Oregon Athletics Department is reviewing the situation and will take appropriate action, reflecting the seriousness of the player's behavior."

Boise State spokesman Max Corbet told The Associated Press in an e-mail Friday that head coach Chris Petersen will not suspend Hout. Instead, Petersen will spend time with Hout this week to help him learn from what happened.

Boise State replayed Blount slugging Hout several times on the giant screen in the north end zone of Bronco Stadium. Amid jeers from the crowd, Blount, who was being escorted from the field by Oregon assistant coach Scott Frost, got into another confrontation with fans.

According to Blount, one fan brandished a chair at him and another punched him. Two police officers and Frost nearly carried Blount to the Boise State athletic building, where the visiting team dresses.

After the game, a contrite Blount came out of the locker room.

"I should have handled that situation a lot better than I did," he said. "I apologize. We will never have a game like this again. ... The game, as it went on, just got more frustrating and more frustrating for me in general. I shouldn't have said anything. I shouldn't have done anything."

Blount, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound transfer from East Mississippi CC, rushed for 1,002 yards and a school-record 17 touchdowns last season. He carried the ball eight times for minus-5 yards and caught two passes for 13 yards against Boise State.

Players from both sides, Blount included, met at midfield for a pregame handshake, the result of a sportsmanship initiative developed for this weekend's games by the American Football Coaches Association and the NCAA. Grant Teaff, the AFCA's executive director, said Friday the incident would not dampen the weekend.

"This case points out that we still need to have a commitment to sportsmanship and respect," Teaff told ESPN's Joe Schad. "It was sad as I watched [the events in Boise], but the good news is nobody joined in. That would have been a brawl back in the day. This was one player who was frustrated and infuriated and lost control."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4446898

[SmooBoy]

He should have been suspended for having the name LeGarrette.

[HB Pony Dad]

Maybe JJ can convince the NCAA to give a HardHEADship waiver to him!

[RE Tycoon]

Maybe JJ can convince the NCAA to give a HardHEADship waiver to him!

Might want to use the delete post option on that one. Go ahead and take the hit to your post count.

[ProudMama]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWdHLrvrEe8

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I hate when teams overreact to stuff like this. Suspending a guy for the season over just one punch?

Ridiculous - especially considering the Boise State player taunted Blount into the confrontation.

I honestly don't see how this is that big of a deal.

[SMU 86]

I hate when teams overreact to stuff like this. Suspending a guy for the season over just one punch?

a_friend_told_me_the boise_player_may_file_assault_charges_on_Blount

How could he file a charge against Blount when he initiated the physical contact by pushing him. Blount probably got what he deserved by being suspended but the BSU player did not. I heard the police said that they would not get involved.

[SmooBoy]

not_u_again_?_!_?

[Big Hoss]

I hate when teams overreact to stuff like this. Suspending a guy for the season over just one punch?

a_friend_told_me_the boise_player_may_file_assault_charges_on_Blount

How could he file a charge against Blount when he initiated the physical contact by pushing him. Blount probably got what he deserved by being suspended but the BSU player did not. I heard the police said that they would not get involved.

It didn't look like he pushed him, just tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. I guess I'll have to go look again.

The kid should just sit out 1 game, not an entire season. The punishment should fit the crime, and this punishment is way too harsh.

And Hout is an idiot if he presses charges.

[d_pony]

i would think the season suspension was based on more than the "punch" - remember he was suspended earlier in the year for a week by the coach for anger management problems - he hit a teammate who trying to control him - it took several secruity personal and a coach to finnally haul him off all of whom he fought during this time and to make matters worse he tried to go after a fan in the stands

[Big Hoss]

i would think the season suspension was based on more than the "punch" - remember he was suspended earlier in the year for a week by the coach for anger management problems - he hit a teammate who trying to control him - it took several secruity personal and a coach to finnally haul him off all of whom he fought during this time and to make matters worse he tried to go after a fan in the stands

True, but the full season seems excessive. Give him 3 games then - 1 for punching his teammate, 1 for punching the Boise State player, and 1 for going after fans in the stands. Any one of those should be a 1 game suspension, so give him 1 for each.

There could also be more behind this, too. If he's a handful to the coaching staff, then maybe they think it's addition by subtraction.

[ponyscott]

way over the top reaction with an entire season negated......suspend for several games but not the entire season.....stupid ruling by Oregon.

[Hoop Fan]

the punk from Boise probably deserved to get punched out. you don't taunt an opponent after a victory. personally think the taunting was as deserving of punishment or moreso than the punch.

[jtstang]

Yes, but it seems like I read somewhere that the Oregon guy had been trash talking in the papers the week before the game, so maybe he had the taunting coming.

[SMU 86]

Yes, but it seems like I read somewhere that the Oregon guy had been trash talking in the papers the week before the game, so maybe he had the taunting coming.

That's probably right JT. But the BSU guy could have taunted himn without putting his hands on him. Just my thoughts on it. Anyway, It's game day for us let's play some football!