News Flash: Oregon reinstates Blount
By Tom Dienhart, Yahoo! Sports Nov 9, 10:51 am EST
The University of Oregon reinstated running back LeGarrette Blount on Monday.
Blount was suspended on Sept. 4 after punching Boise State’s Byron Hout and confronting fans in the wake of the Ducks’ 19-8 season-opening loss to the Broncos. The ban was originally for the season but coach Chip Kelly said in October that Blount could return if he met certain conditions.
Blount will be available when the Ducks play host to Arizona State on Saturday. The Pac-10 accepted Kelly’s recommendation to reinstate Blount.
“I’m grateful to Coach Kelly that he cares enough to offer me this second chance,” Blount said in a statement released by the university. “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.”
The Ducks’ 1,000-yard rusher from a year ago was held to minus 5 yards against Boise State.
Memphis cans West
Memphis has fired coach Tommy West. The dismissal, first reported by the Memphis Commercial Appeal, was confirmed Monday morning.
West, 55, has coached Memphis since 2001. He entered the season with a 47-51 record. The Tigers are 2-7 this year, losing three in a row and five of their last six. West led Memphis to five bowls during his tenure. Prior to coaching Memphis, West was head coach of Clemson from 1993-98, posting a 31-28 record with three bowl appearances.
West will coach the Tigers in their final three games this season.
Orgeron back at Ole Miss
Former Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron returns to Oxford this Saturday as an assistant for Tennessee, but Rebels coach Houston Nutt is downplaying the situation.
“I don’t think I have to worry about that,” Nutt said at his weekly teleconference. “I’m more concerned with how we go about our business each day, starting today. When we take the field, we have to have tremendous focus and intensity this week. Preparation has to be at its best.
“To win this conference game here at home, you’ve got to have your best week. So the last thing I’m worried about is trying to get together, huddle up and see what my guys think about Ed coming back to Oxford. I’m not really concerned about that.”
Nutt replaced Orgeron, who is Tennessee’s associate head coach/defensive line coach after coaching Ole Miss from 2005-07 and posting a 10-25 record with no bowls. Many of the top players on the Rebels’ roster were recruited by Orgeron, including receiver Dexter McCluster, offensive tackle John Jerry, defensive end Greg Hardy and cornerback Marshay Green. Orgeron also wooed Jevan Snead from Texas as a transfer.
Forecast by some to win the SEC West, Ole Miss has been one of the nation’s biggest disappointments, but the 6-3 Rebels are pushing for a strong finish. After playing host to Tennessee, Ole Miss will welcome LSU before finishing at Mississippi State.
