BSU's Hout progressing with confidence

BOISE — The enduring image was everywhere Boise State’s Byron Hout looked — Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount coldcocking him after a taunt following the Broncos’ season-opening upset victory over Oregon a year ago.

By the third airing of SportsCenter on Friday morning, Hout was forever tethered to a forgettable tirade by Blount. In one regrettable moment, Hout struck the powder keg that was Blount.

Then he heard the whispers in the classroom and around campus. He suffered relentless teasing at home and in the locker room.

Even a year later, Hout is still trying to shake his infamous one-liner that started it all.

“It still happens,” Hout said of getting recognized for the incident in his first media appearance since the Oregon game. “When you meet somebody new, they say, ‘Oh, you’re that guy!’ And I have to retell the story over and over again and say the same thing over and over again. I’ve kind of got it rehearsed now.”

Unlike the result of his on-the-field unrehearsed line (which for the record was, “How ‘bout that --- whuppin’?!”), Hout’s rehearsed lines demonstrate maturity, revealing his healthy reflection on the incident.

“Usually, I just say that, ‘Emotions were running high and we both made bad decisions out there, and hopefully that never happens ever again to anyone,’” Hout said.

When reporters fitted Hout with mics Friday, he looked as if he was being forced to gulp castor oil from the bottle. Within a couple of minutes, he appeared relaxed and confident, presenting a demeanor that matched with how he claimed to feel.

“I’ve just tried to put it behind me ever since it happened and move forward,” Hout said. “You can’t let one thing bother you the rest of your life. You have to move forward and put it in the past.”

Boise State running back D.J. Harper said Hout still takes some good-natured ribbing for the incident, but as far as the team is concerned, it’s ancient history.

“It’s something that we can look back now and laugh at, but at the time it was  a serious issue,” Harper said. “But we’ve got that dealt with and we’ve moved on.”

Consider Hout’s open-mic confessional the last shovelful of dirt to bury a moment that will still haunt him.

“My kids are going to see (footage of the incident) and it’s going to be something that I’m going to have to explain to them,” Hout said.

“It’s always going to be a dark point in my career. I just try to learn from it. Everything happens for a reason. That happened to teach me. And hopefully a lot of other players learned too that you can’t let your emotions get out of control.”

As Hout grappled with his feelings of remorse and regret for what transpired, he said his teammates and coaches surrounded him and walked him through it.

“We settled it as coaches and programs right afterward, but everyone else wanted to keep talking about it,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “Unfortunatley, it was a mistake on national TV.

“I think there were some painful lessons learned on both sides. I really think both of those guys know right from wrong and there wasn’t a whole lot we did on our side. Byron’s a smart guy and he got it right away.”

Now, Hout is ready to move on and channel his aggressive and emotional style of play on the field into a positive force for the Broncos’ defense.

Aside from a personal purge with the media, Hout’s fresh start this season also includes a position change. After playing on the defensive line for two seasons, Hout is moving back to linebacker, the original position he was recruited to play out of Lake City High School.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to stay at (defensive) end or if it was something to try out,” Hout said of his move to defensive end. “I just rolled with it. But I’ve (played linebacker) before, so it wasn’t as hard of a transition for me.”

In his return to linebacker this season, Hout dropped the 20 pounds he gained to beef up on the offensive line. He also started taking pointers from the Broncos’ breakout star at linebacker this spring, Derrell Acrey.

“I try to pick up everything (Derrell) does and listen to everything he says,” Hout said. “In the meeting room, it’s great to sit next to him because if I have a quick question, I can just ask him. And he’s right there and I get a quick answer.”

Largely lost last season was Hout’s solid work as a backup on the defensive line for the Broncos. His move gave Boise State some added depth at the position — and Hout delivered. In limited playing time, he racked up 27 tackles and had two sacks.

Though the learning curve may be sharp this fall, Hout welcomes the challenge — and the opportunity to be known for anything but trash talking and getting punched in the face.

“This year, I just want to get out there and hopefully make some plays and help us win some games,” Hout said before pausing. “And not be known for anything like that ever again.”