Oregon RB throws punch after season-opening loss to Boise State
Oregon suspended star running back LeGarrette Blount for the remainder of the season on Friday for punching Boise State's Byron Hout.
In their home opener, the 14th-ranked Broncos ran over the 16th-ranked Ducks, as Kellen Moore threw for 197 yards and a touchdown to cap a 19-8 Boise State win Thursday night.
But all didn't end quietly. As the Broncos started celebrating their victory, defensive lineman Hout yelled in Blount's face and provokingly tapped him on the shoulder. Broncos head coach Chris Petersen responded immediately, but before he could pull his player away, Blount snapped and punched Hout in the jaw.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Blount then hit one of his teammates before police and team staff escorted him off the field, holding him back as he tried to swing at heckling fans.
"It was just something that I shouldn't have done," said Blount, who had eight carries for a loss of five yards. "I lost my head."
Lt. Bryan Hagler said Boise police would not get involved in the scuffle, though there were rumors Blount may get arrested.
Oregon coach Chip Kelly said he wanted to review the tape of the bunch before making a decision on Blount's punishment, and his future. On Friday, Kelly chose to keep Blount off the field for the rest of the season, including any bowl games. He will, however, remain on scholarship.
Mike Bellotti, Oregon's former head coach who stepped down last summer to become athletic director, said the Pac-10 was consulted about the pushiment -- commissioner Larry Scott was at the game -- and supports the school's choice of punishment.
Not only was this Blout guy just a big a$$ embarrassment to my school and all the other people that go there but he was an embarrassment to him self.... saying "It was just something that I shouldn't have done," isn't good enough... being suspended for the rest of the year isn't good enough... retaining his full ride scholarship ISN'T good enough!
What other kid with a full scholarship could walk around campus and punch someone, on school property no less, and NOT loose their scholarship!!! Once again this is the university showing their biased towards their football starts rather than the students working hard to pay for college and get a good education. Give the scholarship to a kid who is working two jobs and going to school full time and will STILL walk out with their degree and tens of thousands of dollars of debt yet also manage to never punch someone in the face because they are a poor sport.
I'm just sayin'
1 comment:
So, small world, the Byron kid who took the punch was my little sister's first real boyfriend for like a year. Weird, huh? But yeah, it was an unfortunate situation and I think it was poorly handled by all: the schools, the press, and the police. They need to set proper precedent for these kids so they know you're just not allowed to hurt other people because you're mad.
Post a Comment