Oregon coach Chip Kelly publically announced Friday that the school would consider the reinstatement of suspended running back LeGarrette Blount.
A release by the school Thursday night said coach Kelly would talk about Blount's status and "could include Blount's potential reinstatement prior to the conclusion of the 2009 season.''
On Friday, Kelly made the following statement:
On Friday, Kelly made the following statement:
"After speaking with a number of nationally renowned professionals in the field, which included Dr. Harry Edwards and Tony Dungy, I came to the conclusion that leaving the door open for LeGarrette's potential return as an active player was the best solution," Kelly said.
"He has a rigid set of conditions he must live up to and there are certainly no guarantees in place. This merely provides him the opportunity for my reconsideration in the future should he meet those demands."
Later Friday, Kelly spoke during a press conference following the team's practice. He said that the he and Blount signed an agreement on Sept. 25 that outlined "some academic and behavioral ladders that he has to climb for him to ever have the opportunity to play football again.''
"It's not a football decision,'' Kelly said. "It's a human being decision.''
The earliest he could return to the team is Oregon's Nov. 7 game at Stanford. If and when Blount meets the conditions, Oregon will have to appeal to the Pacific-10 Conference to reduce the original discipline.
"It's not a football decision,'' Kelly said. "It's a human being decision.''
The earliest he could return to the team is Oregon's Nov. 7 game at Stanford. If and when Blount meets the conditions, Oregon will have to appeal to the Pacific-10 Conference to reduce the original discipline.