ea-returnsErin Andrews’ much-anticipated return to the sideline for South Carolina-NC State appears to have gone swimmingly. The hype was palpable prior to the game – the Raleigh News & Observer previewed her return and Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien was asked about it Wednesday (7:05 mark) – but then the game was awful and Andrews seemed to appear less on camera than she did last season. She dressed conservatively, the announcers didn’t go all Sutcliffe on her, and early indications are that fans were on their best behavior. (That could change, of course, when they wake up hungover at noon with tales from the stands.)

Six hours after Andrews’ first appearance, she became an afterthought when LeGarrett Blount leveled Boise State’s Byron Hout with a punch. (Her thank you card is already in the mail.) Although video remains inconclusive, it looks as if Hout – who is inaccurately being portrayed as an “innocent victim” by the Mike & Mikes of the world – may have started it all.

Look closely at the video. Right before Blount spins to throw the punch, Hout put his hands on the Oregon RB. That took the trash-talking from harmless to “it’s on.” From the Oregonian:

After carrying the ball 13 times for minus-five yards, Blount got an earful from some Broncos after the game. And when Hout touched Blount’s shoulder pads and had some words for the senior, Blount sucker-punched him. Blount was restrained by his teammates, but he also delivered a shot to teammate Garrett Embry, who was trying to be peacemaker. Then, when receivers coach Scott Frost and a police offer tried to wrestle an angry Blount to the locker room, he got into it again with some fans behind the end zone.

Nobody is saying Hout should be suspended, but he definitely shouldn’t be called an “innocent victim” (Michael David Smith agrees.) We’d give Blount a 2-game suspension for the punch and his uncontrollable anger near the fans (video below), but any notion of a suspension for half the season or kicking him off the team is crazy-talk.