Legacy Recruit Cooper Pelc Continues Montana's In-State Recruiting Surge

There are plenty of reasons someone commits to a school. It could be the coaching staff, the culture of a program, familiarity, or the fact that they are a legacy. All of those were the case for Kalispell (MT) Glacier High School athlete Cooper Pelc, who announced his commitment to Montana on Saturday after he attended their Junior Day.

He's the latest in-state recruiting win for new head coach Bobby Kennedy. Pelc joins quarterback Eli Kasberg, defensive lineman Quincy King, and linebacker Sam Sirmon in Montana's 2027 recruiting class.

FCS Football Central caught up with him to discuss his commitment to the Grizzlies.

Receiving An Offer From The Griz

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Pelc received his offer from the Grizzlies on November 13 after he spoke with the then Montana and current Washington State running backs coach Justin Green.

“When I first got my offer from Montana, I got the call from Coach Greene, who’s at Wazzu now. I had been in contact with Coach Jonson (Director of Recruiting Keaton Johnson) throughout the season, just sending him my film and going on some game visits. The conversation between Coach Greene and me was pretty blunt and to the point. He is a very easy coach to talk to, and I think that made it easy,” Pelc said.

After a great call with @GrizCoachGreen I’m grateful to receive my second D1 offer to play for the University of Montana! @KeatonJ_3 @Coach_Hauck @PhenicieRo53154 @MontanaGrizFB @BrandonHuffman @sixstarfootball @Glacier_recruit pic.twitter.com/2kDDMq4aqA
— Cooper Pelc (@CooperPelc08) November 14, 2025

In addition to the Grizzlies, which was his second, he also has offers from Montana State and Portland State.

“Recruiting was pretty fast, honestly, in the winter. But the only offer coming out of it was Portland State, which I’m very grateful for, and I hope Jackson Presley balls out there. I had some good conversations with various FBS schools and learned a lot about recruiting as a whole through those conversations.”

His Decision To Commit To Montana

Pelc grew up a fan of the Grizzlies, which was due in part to his parents, who both attended Montana and were athletes. His father, Brian, was the starting center for the 2001 national championship team, and his mother ran track. That, plus the relationship he has developed with the coaching staff, which includes Johnson and head coach Bobby Kennedy, was what led him to commit.

“I grew up a Griz fan and went to their games. My dad started at center for the 2001 championship team, and my mom ran track. But the thing that drove me to make the decision was the consistent communication with the coaching staff and the thought of making the Griz the place to be for in-state recruits and winning a national championship, as my dad did," Pelc said.

"My relationships with Coach BK and Coach Johnson are great. We’re in contact almost every day, and BK makes it a point to get to know my family and me, and he’s super enthusiastic about moving the program forward. Coach Johnson is someone I can go to if I have any questions because he knows the answer to almost everything. It’s great to have guys like that to lean into, especially as coaches.”

I’m excited to announce I have committed to the University of Montana! I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my state wearing the Maroon and Silver. I’m extremely thankful for Coach Kennedy and the rest of the coaching staff for believing in me and welcoming me into the… pic.twitter.com/VzuD7kxWvP
— Cooper Pelc (@CooperPelc08) March 29, 2026

Junior Day Visit To Montana

Pelc was in Missoula over the weekend for Junior Day, where he was able to meet up with the staff once more and enjoy the day.

“The highlight of Junior Day was connecting with the staff, especially Coach Johnson and Coach Kennedy, who made it a point that they wanted me at Montana to move the program forward! Coach BK is a super personable guy, and he took the time to talk to my mom and me and make it feel special,” Pelc said.

Last season, the two-way standout hauled in 38 receptions for 727 yards, 19.1 yards per reception, and seven touchdowns. Defensively, he had 25 tackles, 10 pass breakups, four interceptions, and a touchdown for the Wolfpack. Pelc helped lead them to an undefeated 12-0 season and the AA state championship.

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