Logan Tago suspended from Washington State football team; charged with felony robbery, gross misdemeanor assault
PULLMAN – Washington State University president Kirk Schulz told Spokane TV station SWX that Cougars linebacker Logan Tago is suspended from football activities per university policy while under charges for felony robbery and gross misdemeanor assault.
WSU policy is that players charged with a felony will not be allowed to participate until the case is resolved, barring extraordinary circumstances.
On Monday, coach Mike Leach said he believes players should be allowed to play until they are proven guilty.
However, when asked if he would pursue discussions to change the current policy regarding players’ suspensions, Leach deferred to Shulz, saying, “He’s the boss.”
Tago’s initial court date is scheduled for Nov. 4, meaning he will miss at least the next three WSU football games and presumably more than that before his case is resolved.
Besides the initial hearing, the case could require many motions to be filed and could take some time to go to trial, barring a plea deal.
Even a plea deal could require a lengthy wait if the defense needs to mount a case in order to gain leverage.
Tago started at rush linebacker in two games this season for WSU, including last Saturday’s win over Stanford.
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Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch says that junior Dylan Hanser, who has started three games at rush linebacker, continues to get better with every game.
“We try to get the next best 11 (players) behind our best 11,” Grinch said when asked about potentially moving players to rush linebacker with Tago gone.
“However we have to do that, we’ll do that. If that means position changes, or strictly depth changes, that’s what we’ll do.”
Tago has been charged by the Whitman County Prosecutor in the superior court for second-degree robbery and fourth-degree assault, after allegedly striking a Pullman resident and taking his beer.