Football: Peeler to Have Surgery on Knee, Likely to "Grayshirt" First Year at Pitt

(Dec. 31, 2009) - At the holiday basketball tournament this week at Broad Run High School there were many of the Spartan back-to-back VHSL Division 4 state title winning football players in the stands, including running back T.J. Peeler on crutches.

Peeler, injured in Broad Run's state title win over Amherst County earlier this month, confirmed that he will have knee surgery in January and faces a one-to-three month rehab.

One of the Washington D.C. area's top backs, Peeler is likely to "grayshirt" at Pitt next year, delaying fulltime enrollment until January/February 2011. This would allow Peeler to "redshirt" for the 2011 season and give him plenty of time for full recovery and to get his academic footing set.