Grambling State athletics department officially announced that senior quarterback Bruce Eugene has been granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA.
Eugene, a native of New Orleans, had his 2004 campaign cut short when he tore knee tendons in the Tigers’ season opener against Alcorn State.
Head coach Melvin Spears is very excited about the opportunity to coach his two-time Walter Payton Award finalist for another year.
"I feel elated. It is always a blessing when you have the opportunity to get a guy like that back of that caliber," Spears said.
"Certainly all of us are happy about it. Anytime when you get your trigger man back, you just don’t know what it feels like – we are ready to go."
Eugene himself was also very excited and relieved about finally getting the opportunity to return to the field after waiting several months for this decision to be handed down.
"It is a blessing in disguise, I have been contemplating every night on whether or not the NCAA was going to give it to me or not," he said. "Now that I have got it, it is going to be hectic around the SWAC.
For his career, Eugene has completed 618 passes for 1,201 attempts for 9,122 yards including 84 touchdowns against 32 interceptions.
He also has 1,050 yards rushing on 250 carries including 16 touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards per rush.