Washington State received some much-needed good news on Thursday as one of the team’s best defensive players looks like he’ll be back on the Palouse for the 2018 campaign. The Seattle Times is reporting that the NCAA has confirmed to the school that linebacker Peyton Pelluer was granted a sixth season of eligibility for the upcoming season.
Pelluer had started 34 games for the Cougars but needed surgery to repair a fractured foot he injured during a game against Oregon State. Because he played in only three games (and really just two and a half), he was able to petition for a medical redshirt year and was subsequently granted it by the NCAA office.
The senior will once again be a team leader for Wazzu’s defense after the departures of assistant coach Alex Grinch, All-American defensive lineman Hercules Mata’afa and most of the linebacking corps. The Cougs do have a new defensive coordinator in Tracy Claeys but Pelluer’s role probably won’t change all that much in 2018 as he looks to be the face of the unit once again.
