Oregon eyeing an about-face

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It seems like a long time ago now, but it was only about a month and a half ago.

After getting contained by Boise State in a 19-8 season-opening loss, Oregon starting tailback LaGarrette Blount delivered a punch to the chin of Byron Hout after the defensive end appeared to taunt him. He followed that up with what I find to be the more egregious offense, trying to get into the stands to go after fans, needing to be restrained by police and security personnel on his way to the locker room.

A day later Blount was suspended for the season by a unified head coach, Athletic Director and University President. Head coach Chip Kelly said reinstatement was not an option. In essence, the senior's college career was over.

Some believe Blount's punishment doesn't fit the crime and I can understand the argument that he was simply being made an example of. But I sided with the university on this one and I will always lean towards hard penalties if it means getting thuggery and buffoonery out of the game. The suspension seemed especially warranted given Blount's past history of behavioral problems. This was not a good guy who just lost his cool. This was a problem child just adding another bullet to his resume.

At that point, in the back of Oregon's mind had to be the same thought that everyone else had - the Ducks are done. But since the ugly incident on the Smurf Turf (both on the field and after the game), the Ducks haven't lost. They've won three straight, including a drubbing of Cal, holding the dynamic Golden Bears offense to three points.

The success has put the Ducks back up into the No. 16 spot they held before the season began. It also seems to have spurred a change in heart in the Oregon administration and coaching staff.

According to ESPN, who first broke the story Thursday, Blount could be reinstated at some point this season. The source who talked to ESPN said that Blount has impressed high-profile football people like Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, but let's be real here. If Oregon was not in the Pac-10 hunt, Blount would not be even close to sniffing the field.

But especially now after beating Cal and USC reeling a bit, Oregon has a chance to snatch the Pac-10 title and a major bowl bid. The hardest part of their schedule is done. The timing couldn't be better. After Washington State and UCLA the next two weeks, the Ducks have a bye week, allowing Blount, who has been practicing with the team anyway, to get up to full speed in practice with the first team. They follow the bye week with the two toughest teams they have left on their schedule - Washington and USC. A good time to have fresh legs of Blount's caliber at your disposal.

This move is so transparent that the members of Oregon's administration and coaching staff should be ashamed of themselves. They can say all they want about Blount maturing and following the program they laid out for him, but the real thing that is going to get Blount on the field is the dollar signs. In terms of pure football ability, Blount gives the Ducks the best chance to win the conference and get to a bowl game. That equals huge amounts of money for the university.

As it stands, Oregon is one of three teams - and the only ranked team - in the Pac-10 without an in-conference loss. Stanford still has three games against ranked teams - including Oregon - as does Arizona. To think that either of these teams is going to get through conference play without a blemish is extremely optimistic and quite honestly bordering on fantasy.

This is a calculated move by Oregon. In a best-case scenario, USC knocks off Cal this weekend, giving the Bears two conference losses. Oregon does what it has to do until the USC game, then beats the Trojans, giving them two losses. In this scenario, as long as Oregon avoids hiccups the rest of the way, the Ducks could be the only team in the conference to go undefeated in the league.

Move past all the posturing about the progress Blount has made as a person and how his new baby has changed him and realize that this is all about football and about a pay day. Oregon made a strong statement when it suspended Blount and gave many hope that someone was finally taking a stand. But this move just proves that when it all comes down to it, Oregon is just like pretty much any other major university in the country and that they're willing to forfeit values for cash.