Oregon Suspends LeGarrette Blount for Punching Boise State's Byron Hout

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.

"That's not what we're all about," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said in a brief statement, as reported by local TV station KVAL.

Blount is a senior, so the disciplinary action effectively ends his college football career. He will remain on scholarship and will still be permitted to practice with the team and have access to all services available to football players, Kelly said. But Blount won't be allowed to play in any more games, including any bowl game Oregon plays in.

A talented but troubled running back who was also suspended by the team during spring practice, Blount is regarded as good enough on the field to be a high NFL Draft pick, but his inability to stay out of trouble could prevent him from being drafted at all in 2010.

Hout instigated the confrontation by grabbing Blount and yelling something at him as Blount walked off the field after Boise State's season-opening victory Thursday night, but while Boise State coach Chris Petersen acknowledged that Hout was out of line, he said Hout would not be suspended.

UPDATE: Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott released a statement saying, "We commend the University of Oregon and its leadership for taking swift and decisive action in response to this incident. The Pac-10 strongly emphasizes sportsmanship and fair play in all its athletic competitions and expects high standards of sportsmanship from all participants, including student-athletes. In this case, those standards were not met and the university has taken appropriate disciplinary actions."

Do you agree with the suspension? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

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