67 days after the Punch Heard Round the College Football World and a “season-long” suspension, and a little over a month after word first broke that he could return this year, LeGarrette Blount‘s situation has come full circle.
According to head coach Chip Kelly, the running back has been reinstated to the program and will be eligible to suit up for Oregon’s game this weekend.
Kelly sent athletic director Mike Bellotti a formal request for reinstatement Sunday night, who then forwarded it to Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott and the university’s president. Scott signed off on the reinstatement, opening the door for Blount’s return.
“After a thorough review of the situation, I am convinced LeGarrette Blount paid a significant and appropriate price for the mistakes he made on the field, and that he has learned important life-long lessons,” Scott said in a statement.
In all, Blount has missed eight games because of the punch and subsequent meltdown. But now, the senior is grateful for the opportunity to redeem himself and put behind him one of the most explosive incidents in the annals of college football.
“I’m grateful to coach Kelly that he cares enough to offer me this second chance,” Blount said in a statement. “Now it is up to me to prove to people that their lasting impressions of me are not what they saw in Boise.
“When I am ready to address this further with the public and the media, I will do so. Until that time, I feel my actions can speak louder than anything I could say. I just want to help my teammates who have been supportive of me.”
Now what will be interesting is how Blount fits into what the Ducks have built since his suspension.
Blount was Oregon’s second-leading rusher in 2008, but has been seamlessly replaced by LaMichael James. All the freshman has done is rush for 1,021 yards and eight touchdowns in the eight games since Blount’s suspension.
Where Blount will fit in now is anyone’s guess, but there’s no doubt that Blount’s talent could hand Kelly a devastating one-two backfield punch, so to speak.
