There were many, many people -- including numerous readers of this here site -- who felt Boise State’s Byron Hout was largely at fault for the LeGarrette Blount punch and should’ve faced some type of suspension from the Broncos.
When head coach Chris Petersen announced the day after the game that Hout would not face a suspension, but rather internal discipline, the cry of unfairness grew even louder.
Now, new Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott has taken his WAC counterpart to task for Boise State’s handling of Hout, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
With all of the controversy still swirling around BSU’s handling of the perceived instigator, both Petersen and Benson have launched a counteroffensive, defending how the program has handled Hout’s role in the punch.
“Byron is being disciplined, there’s no question about that,” Petersen said, although the coach has yet to identify the specific punishment for Hout. “It was the wrong thing to do to say anything to anybody on the football field, but I think if everybody got suspended for saying something half the teams wouldn’t have guys to play games. I think it’s something that everybody has learned from -- our program and hopefully teams from the outside.
For his part, Benson laid the blame squarely and solely at the feet of Blount.
“Granted, his comments triggered the Oregon player to act like he did, but the words that the Boise State player said to the Oregon player are pretty regular occurrences -- before a game, during a game, after a game,” Benson said on the same teleconference following Petersen’s. “Was it a taunt? Yes, it was a taunt. And yet if it hadn’t triggered the reaction nothing would have been said.”
While the initial reaction to The Punch Heard ‘Round The World -- precipitated by what is thought to be Hout’s rehashing of an “ass-whoopin’” boast Blount made earlier this year -- was one of disgust for Blount’s solid right hand and subsequent meltdown, the running back, with the help of the university, has quite deftly begun to rebuild his public image.
Boise State, on the other hand, is suffering from a very serious case of public backlash for their inaction when it comes to Hout.
Right or wrong, BSU needs to do something to start to stem the tide of criticism, and they could begin the process by revealing exactly how Hout is being punished internally.
It’s a small step, but one that’s absolutely necessary.
