FanHouse Byron Hout

LeGarrette Blount, the Oregon running back who became the talk of college football when he punched a Boise State player on the field after the Ducks' season-opening loss, apologized today for that punch in an open letter published by Oregon's student newspaper. Blount accepted full responsibility, and he said nothing said by Boise State's Byron Hout justified Blount punching him.

LeGarrette Blount has been suspended for the remainder of Oregon's football season for punching Boise State's Byron Hout in an ugly post-game incident that has been played over and over again on ESPN and YouTube. But in all those re-playings of the incident, we still haven't learned what Hout said to Blount to provoke such an act. And there's speculation that Hout said something every bit as ugly as Blount's reaction.

Shortly after the last season's college football calendar wrapped up, the game's rules committee kicked around a few ideas to make its version of football a little kinder and gentler, to borrow an old phrase. Specifically, it wanted to crack down a little more on unsportsmanlike acts like taunting and showboating.

It considered treating such offenses during a game as live-ball fouls that could wipe out a play, including a touchdown. It pondered revising its guidelines on sportsmanship to include harsher penalties for offenders and make coaches more responsible for their players' behavior before and after games, not just during them. It even discussed encouraging conference officials to be more willing to discipline their coaches and member schools for such boorishness.

Luckily for Boise State coach Chris Petersen and one of his defensive ends, Byron Hout, the college football rules committee tabled their discussions until after the season that just kicked off. Otherwise, Peterson would be forced to punish Hout for Hout's role in Thursday night's ugly meltdown in Boise, Idaho, as Boise State kicked off this season against Oregon.

Well, that sure restored my faith in humankind. It was a wondrous burst of idealism, the preconceived concept that two college football teams could shake hands at midfield and act like normal, respectful people. But when the season's first national telecast explodes into a hideous episode, I don't like civility's chances in this day and age.

College football fans had plenty to say about Thursday night's Boise State-Oregon game, which turned ugly afterward when Oregon's LeGarrette Blount responded to a taunt from Boise State's Byron Hout by leveling him with a vicious punch.

Blount is now suspended for the rest of the season, and that led to a lot of interesting questions and comments for my college football Twitter mailbag, which is below.

It's funny how the level of sportsmanship can be viewed depending on which side of the field you stand.

Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount was completely wrong for his actions following Boise State's 19-8 victory over the Ducks on Thursday.

No one can question that Blount's knockdown punch on the Broncos' Byron Hout and his follow-up act that caused him to be dragged off the field deserved punishment. And, Oregon's season-long suspension of Blount may be stern but not out of line.

But people should also question Boise State's decision to not suspend Hout and to only discipline him internally.

Doesn't sportsmanship go both ways?

The University of Oregon has suspended running back LeGarrette Blount for the 2009 season as a result of the post-game punch he delivered to Boise State's Byron Hout following the Broncos' 19-8 victory Thursday night in Idaho.

After reviewing Blount's actions, the Ducks suspended the senior running back for the remainder of the season, including any bowl games. Oregon officials made the decision Friday following talks with Pacific-10 commissioner Larry Scott, who attended the game.

Oregon first-year coach Chip Kelly said Blount will continue to play a role in the school's football program and remain on scholarship throughout the remainder of the year.

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Oregon has announced that running back LeGarrette Blount will be suspended for the remainder of the 2009 season for punching Boise State player Byron Hout.

Boise State football coach Chris Petersen acknowledged Friday that his own player, Byron Hout, was partially to blame for the ugly incident in which Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount punched Hout in the jaw.

Hout appeared to grab Blount and yell something at him before Blount punched him. Petersen said he didn't hear what Hout said to Blount, but he was quick to acknowledge that his own player was a part of the problem.

"It always takes two to tango," Petersen said. "There's no question about that. That's the best lesson in this. There's no reason to say anything. Game over, move on, and let everything speak for itself. ... There's no need to say a word. Move on. Let your play speak for itself."

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.