Skyline football coach Peyton Pelluer reinstated after suspension
Former Washington State linebacker Peyton Pelluer during fall camp in Lewiston, Idaho. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times, 2018)
By Percy Allen Seattle Times staff reporter
A tense five-day standoff pitting the Issaquah School District and Skyline High administrators against Spartans football coach Peyton Pelluer ended Tuesday afternoon with the school reinstating the suspended coach, the school announced.
Last Friday, Skyline High principal Keith Hennig told parents Pelluer was suspended and under investigation by the district.
In an email, Hennig wrote: “Dear Skyline Families. We are informing you about a temporary change in the Skyline High School football program. Head football coach Peyton Pelluer has been temporarily relieved of his coaching duties pending the findings and outcome of a district investigation. Assistant head coaches have assumed interim leadership of the football program.
“Our priority remains providing a safe, supportive and positive experience for all student-athletes, and we hope to conclude the investigation in a timely manner. Thank you for your understanding and support.”
Following Skyline’s 49-14 win over Woodinville, Skyline assistants resigned on Monday in support of Pelluer.
In a letter to the Issaquah School District, that he posted to Instagram, Spartans assistant Gino Simone said Pelluer had come under fire because “a very small but vocal minority of parents has been allowed to exert outsized influence over our program.”
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Simone wrote in full:
“We, the coaching staff of Skyline High School Football, are writing to express our complete and unwavering support for Head Coach Peyton Pelluer — a man whose character, leadership, and commitment to this program stand beyond reproach.
“Coach Pelluer, a proud Skyline alumni and former four-year starter at Washington State University, embodies everything this program represents: integrity, discipline, accountability, and pride in the Spartan name. His connection to Skyline runs deep — as former players, coaches, and community members, we know firsthand the impact he has had on shaping young men into leaders both on and off the field.
“Friday, we were informed of Coach Pelluer’s suspension — mere hours before our game — The decision to suspend Coach Pelluer has deeply impacted our team, our staff, and our student-athletes. We understand that this action stemmed from complaints regarding player participation. However, it is clear that a very small but vocal minority of parents has been allowed to exert outsized influence over our program, spreading misinformation and slander about Coach Pelluer and the coaching staff. These individuals do not represent the views of the overwhelming majority of our players, families, and alumni, who support the standards and structure that make Skyline Football one of the most respected programs in the state.
“We believe this action sets a deeply troubling precedent — one that allows personal grievances and subjective dissatisfaction to override coaching integrity, player accountability, and the competitive principles that define high school athletics. Football, at its core, is meant to teach effort, perseverance, teamwork, and personal responsibility. These lessons cannot thrive when leadership decisions are undermined by those unwilling to accept the realities of competition. This program has produced state champions, collegiate athletes, and future community leaders — all forged through the standards and culture that coaches like Peyton have upheld at Skyline. To see that culture undermined by external pressures contradicts everything Skyline Football stands for.”
Several former Spartans stars paid tribute to Pelluer via social media including Luke Falk, Jake Heaps and Max Browne.
“Coaches like (Pelluer) don’t just build teams — they build men,” Falk wrote on X. “Please reinstate Coach Pelluer. He represents everything right about the game!”
Pelluer, who played linebacker for six seasons (2014-18) at Washington State, starred at Skyline High and helped lead the Spartans to back-to-back Class 4A state titles in 2011 and 2012.
After coaching stints at USC and Mississippi State, Pelluer returned this year to his alma mater, one of the state’s top programs with seven state titles.
Skyline is 5-2 and tied at the top of the KingCo Crown division at 3-1 with Bellevue and Bothell.
Percy Allen: pallen@seattletimes .com. Percy Allen is a sports reporter for The Seattle Times, where he writes about the University of Washington Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams and the Seattle Storm.
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