Oregon running back <strong>LeGarrette Blount</strong>, who was suspended for the season after punching a Boise State player in the wake of the season opener, has been allowed to rejoin the Ducks.</p><p>The university requested Blount&rsquo;s reinstatement, which was approved Monday by Pacific-10 Conference commissioner <strong>Larry Scott</strong>.</p><p>&ldquo;After a thorough review of the situation, I am convinced LeGarrette Blount paid a significant and appropriate price for the mistakes he made on the field, and that he has learned important lifelong lessons,&rdquo; Scott said.</p><p>Blount will be able to play for the No. 14 Ducks on Saturday night when they play host to Arizona State. He missed eight games. Blount issued a statement saying he was grateful to Oregon coach <strong>Chip Kelly</strong> for giving him a second chance.</p><p>&ldquo;Now it is up to me to prove to people that their lasting impressions of me are not what they saw in Boise,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>Blount punched Broncos defensive end <strong>Byron Hout</strong> after the nationally televised opener, bringing him to his knees. The next day Blount was suspended for the season by Kelly, but he was allowed to keep his scholarship and practice with the team.</p><p> Kelly later said that if Blount met certain academic and behavioral conditions, he would be allowed to return. </p><p>The earliest possible date for his reinstatement was last Saturday&rsquo;s game against Stanford, but the Ducks waited until this week to bring him back. Kelly insisted there was no delay in Blount&rsquo;s return.</p><p>Blount rushed for 1,002 yards last season. Redshirt freshman <strong>LaMichael James</strong> emerged as Oregon&rsquo;s starter in his absence. James has run for 1,043 yards so far this season, becoming the first Oregon freshman to go over 1,000 yards rushing. He has rushed for eight touchdowns.</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="infobox-head">OTHER NEWS </span></strong><br /> &bull;Western Kentucky fired coach <strong>David Elson</strong>, though he will finish the rest of a horrible season in which the Hilltoppers, 0-9, have struggled to make the transition to major-college football.</p><p>&bull;Memphis fired coach <strong>Tommy West</strong>, saying the school wants to go in a different direction after the season. The Tigers fell to 2-7 after Saturday&rsquo;s 56-28 loss to in-state rival Tennessee.</p><p>&bull;Wisconsin wide receiver <strong>Maurice Moore</strong> has been indefinitely suspended by coach <strong>Bret Bielema</strong> after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving over the weekend.</p><p></div>