CHAMPAIGN, Ill – Fifth-year kicker Ethan Moczulski earned his first Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week selection of the season after helping Illinois secure a 38-37 overtime win against Michigan State on Saturday.
Moczulski went 3-3 on field goals, a career-high, and 3-3 on extra points, scoring 12 points by himself. In such a tight game, the Illini needed every one of those points to take home the win.
For an offense that just lost its veteran starting quarterback Katin Houser for the foreseeable
future and RB1 Ca’lil Valentine for the season, having a reliable kicker that has hit from 54 yards this season is a good safety net for putting points on the board.
Illinois seems to have a knack for getting good seasons out for its veteran kickers, going back to last season with David Olano. For the unknown that is to come for this team, at the very least, fans probably won’t have to worry about missed field goals.
Moczulski will have the week off to rest his legs, but will be back in action the following week on Oct. 24 against Oregon.
