WSU extends DL coach Joe Salave’a through 2019

In addition to coaching the defensive line, Joe Salave’a is Washington State’s associate head coach and will remain so at least through June, 2019.

Salave’a, who is set to make $400,000 in the upcoming season, has agreed in principle to a multi-year contract extension that will keep him coaching in Pullman. Details of the extension are still being finalized. The extension comes the midst of rumors circling that new Oregon coach Willie Taggart was trying to lure the ace recruiter to Eugene.

Schools such as USC and Washington have tried to poach Salave’a in the past.

Salave’a has brought enormous value to the Cougars as both a recruiter and developer of talent. A native of American Samoa who played in the NFL, Salave’a has forged a connection between WSU and players of Polynesian descent such as star safety Shalom Luani, defensive end Hercules Mata’afa, and a pair of All-Conference defensive linemen last year in Darryl Paulo and Destiny Vaeao.