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YSU ends Wright’s suspension
YOUNGSTOWN
Junior linebacker Lee Wright, who has been suspended this season, has been cleared to play this week in Youngstown State’s playoff game against Samford on Saturday.
Wright, who was arrested in the offseason following an incident where a gun was fired on YSU’s campus, has been practicing with the team all season and is getting a chance to make an impact.
“He did everything we asked him to do and that’s why I’m so happy for the kid,” YSU head coach Bo Pelini said. “He really handled adversity and busted his butt and I can’t give him enough credit.”
If Wright sees the field against Samford, that would remove the option of trying to get the true junior a redshirt year, but Pelini said Wright didn’t want to take his chances with an NCAA committee.
“Lee is a real competitor and he looked me right in the eye and said, ‘I want to play,’” Pelini said. “He probably wasn’t going to get this year back anyway but I told him he could play it out if he wanted to but he understood his decision.”
Wright led the team last season with 78 tackles and had six sacks. He also had 11 solo tackles against North Dakota State. Pelini said his playing time will be determined how practice goes.