Oregon Coach Needs To Make the Right Call: Reinstate LeGarrette Blount

Three wrongs do not make a right. In fact, three wrongs in one night is sufficient ground for anyone to get fired. Certainly, the axe would fall following the Oregon-Boise State season opener, but not where it probably should have: on Chip Kelley.

Sometimes one just needs to sit back and thoroughly ponder a situation before acting upon it. Obviously, Kelley believed he had done this following the LeGarrette Blount sucker punch, but in reality he just passed the buck.

There were things that could have been done prior to the game and immediately following the game that were not done, and all of these lead back to first-year head coach Kelley.

First of all, coach Kelley allowing his team players to get fueled up over so-called intentional late hits was wrong. There comes a time when a coach has to draw the line, tell his kids to just shut it up, and get on with it.

That ax again falls to Kelley. He allowed Blount, Jeremiah Masoli, and Ed Dickson to vent their views with the media and the word spread—the Broncos were entitled to a butt whoopin'. Thus, bad coaching allowed Oregon journalist Hunt to fan the fires often.

The end result was indeed a butt whoopin', but it wasn't on the Broncos (that is, until Blount was allowed to take measures into his own hands). The bottom line here is where was Kelley?

OK, let's flip the scenario around and say, "where was Chris Petersen, the Boise State coach?" Pete was on the field and watching his players and when the first of his players ran off his mouth, he was there reprimanding him.

In fact, coach Pete got on Byron Hout before and after the punch that Blount fired. Blount was keyed up before, during, and after the game to the effect that young LeGarrette pushed his own teammates. Where was Kelley?

The following day, Kelley suspended Blount for the rest of his senior year and to the applause of many people around the nation who were also riled up not unlike those at a witch burning. You just don't feel right until you smell the stench of action.

Well, in hindsight, Bronco fans and some major media have had a change of heart. They no longer are enjoying the scent of the young Blount being charred for the whole world to see.

A reinstatement of LeGarrette Blount should not delay. Here and now, coach Kelley has a chance to show the world that he is the coach, take matters into his own hands, and allow Blount to get in shape and help out his team.

Should his players be allowed to talk to the media? That's Kelley's call, but that is where Kelley screwed up to begin with. He needs to take responsibility for that lack of action at all games. If needed, he should be the last person off the field.

The Oregon Ducks are a fine team with excellent people playing and coaching. It is time to make the right call. Blount served his time, so get him on the field! It's the right call and that's another story.