Pending the approval of a medical redshirt, Eastern Washington graduate transfer quarterback Gage Gubrud will spend his final season of college eligibility at Washington State, The Spokesman-Review learned Sunday from a source close to the player.

The FCS All-American and two-time Walter Payton Award finalist chose WSU after confirming to the S-R via text earlier in the week he’d narrowed his search down to the Cougars and another Pac-12 rival, Utah.

Gubrud didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking confirmation, but on Saturday the quarterback retweeted a post from WSU’s official football Twitter account, hinting at his transfer. WSU’s account typically tweets the following post, “It’s a great day to be a WSU Coug!!! #GoCougs #JoinTheHunt” whenever the Cougars receive an oral commitment.

The post was likely intended for junior college offensive lineman Jimmy Price, who committed Saturday, but Gubrud has shown interest in the Cougars throughout the past few weeks and multiple WSU players and coaches, including kicker Blake Mazza, running back Max Borghi and wide receiver coaches Dave Nichol (inside) and Steve Spurrier Jr. (outside), have followed him on Twitter.

Gubrud’s 2018 season with the Eagles was abbreviated because of a toe injury, suffered in a Sept. 29 game at Montana State, and the QB needs to be granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA before earning his sixth season of eligibility. It’s unclear if the NCAA had a made a final decision on Gubrud’s redshirt by the time he decided on WSU.

A player can receive a medical redshirt if he’s played in one-third or fewer of his team’s games. Gubrud’s toe injury happened during the fifth game of EWU’s season, but the Eagles played in 15 total games due to their appearance in the FCS national championship against North Dakota State.

The Cougars would be taking on a grad transfer for the second time in two years. If Gubrud would win WSU’s starting job, he’d be succeeding former East Carolina transfer Gardner Minshew, who led the nation in passing yards per game and guided the Cougars to their first 11-win season in school history.

Gubrud would compete for the starting job with returning redshirt seniors Anthony Gordon and Trey Tinsley – both former junior college players who combined to complete 10 passes this season. Redshirt freshman to-be Cammon Cooper and incoming freshman Gunner Cruz, an early enrollee, will also have an opportunity to start for the Cougars.