Byron Hout

Byron Hout

Oregon football player LeGarrette Blount punched Boise State football player Byron Hout after Thursday night's game, and Blount is, rightly, getting a lot of criticism in the sports media this morning. But Hout deserves a share of criticism, too: He's the one who provoked the incident. Watch the video closely, and you'll see that Blount, dejected after his team just lost, was walking off the field with his head down. Hout then grabbed Blount and shouted something. We don't know what Hout said, but whatever it was, it prompted Boise State coach Chris Petersen to run up to Hout, restrain him, and yell at him. Suffice to say, if Hout had just said, "good game," Petersen wouldn't have reacted that way.

Only after all that did Blount level Hout with a vicious straight right to the chin. Blount's punch was worse than Hout grabbing him, and it was worse than just about anything Hout could have said. But if Hout hadn't provoked Blount, the punch wouldn't have happened. Petersen, to his credit, not only restrained Hout but said afterward, "It was just emotions getting the best of players" -- suggesting that he knew it was players on both teams, not just Blount, who overreacted in the heat of the moment. And it's also to Petersen's credit that after Blount punched Hout, none of the other Boise State players retaliated by punching Blount, which would have made an ugly scene even uglier.

At the end of last night’s Boise State-Oregon game, a frustrated LeGarrette Blount KO’ed Boise State defensive end Byron Hout. I’m posting this for a couple reasons: 1) I’m guessing most didn’t stay up to watch the end of this game, which started after 10 pm; 2) It was pretty much the only thing worth remembering on an otherwise very boring opening night. South Carolina beat North Carolina State 7-3 and Boise State defended their blue home turf, beating Oregon 19-8, a final score I don’t think I’ve ever seen in a football game.

LeGarrette Blount

LeGarrette Blount

Oregon tailback LeGarrette Blount slugged Boise State’s Byron Hout with a sucker punch, after Oregon’s 19-8 loss Thursday night. The teams had been talking all night, and it looked like Hout was flapping his jaws after the game, but no matter, you can’t go slugging people. Such a volatile mix is why some coaches want no part of the AFCA request. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has talked repeatedly about the combustible mix of emotions before a game, how it only takes one thing to be said and one reaction for a firestorm to hit.

It was the performance of a lifetime. A big-time coming out party for the new guy in charge and his disciplined, workmanlike team. It was a beautiful, proud performance by the Imperial Stormtroopers from the University of Oregon. Every pass was caught. Every quarterback read was perfect. The Ducks' players were in control, focused and sportsmanlike. It was Boise State 19, Oregon 8. Also, it's so long to Ducks running back LeGarrette Blount, who should be kicked off the team today for what he did on Thursday at Bronco Stadium.

Blount punched Boise State's Byron Hout in the face on the field after the game. Then, Blount put a fist to the helmet of Ducks' teammate Garrett Embry, who was trying to play peacemaker. And what we have here is a low moment that can not be greeted with tolerance. Blount left the field struggling with two police officers and two stadium security guards, and with Ducks assistant Scott Frost being towed along. There was a hostile brush with a Boise State fan, too. In the end, there was chaos and volatility all around this team, courtesy of Blount.