Legacy Recruit Cooper Pelc Commits to Montana Football

The in-state standout continues the Grizzlies' recruiting surge.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:18am

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Cooper Pelc, a two-way standout from Kalispell, Montana, has committed to play football for the University of Montana. Pelc, whose father played for the Grizzlies' 2001 national championship team, cited the coaching staff's consistent communication and his family's history with the program as key factors in his decision.

Why it matters

Montana has made a concerted effort to keep the state's top talent at home, and Pelc's commitment continues that trend. The Grizzlies are building an impressive 2027 recruiting class, landing several of Montana's best high school players.

The details

Pelc, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound athlete, received his offer from Montana in November 2025 after speaking with then-Grizzlies running backs coach Justin Green. In addition to Montana, Pelc also had offers from Montana State and Portland State. During his junior season, Pelc had 38 receptions for 727 yards and seven touchdowns on offense, and 25 tackles, 10 pass breakups, four interceptions, and a touchdown on defense, helping lead his team to an undefeated 12-0 season and the state championship.

  • Pelc received his offer from Montana on November 13, 2025.
  • Pelc committed to the Grizzlies on March 29, 2026.

The players

Cooper Pelc

A two-way standout from Kalispell, Montana, who has committed to play football for the University of Montana.

Brian Pelc

Cooper Pelc's father, who was the starting center for Montana's 2001 national championship team.

Bobby Kennedy

The head coach of the Montana Grizzlies football team.

Keaton Johnson

The director of recruiting for the Montana Grizzlies football team.

Justin Green

The former Montana Grizzlies running backs coach, who is now at Washington State.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Cooper Pelc

“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.”

— Cooper Pelc

“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.”

— Cooper Pelc

What’s next

Pelc will continue to work on his game and prepare to join the Montana Grizzlies football program in 2027.

The takeaway

Montana's focus on keeping the state's top talent at home is paying dividends, as evidenced by Pelc's commitment. The Grizzlies are building an impressive 2027 recruiting class that could help them contend for a national championship in the coming years.