CHICAGO - The weekly awards continue to roll in for Illinois State senior placekicker Zach Kutch, who was named one of four Football Championship Subdivision(FCS) National All-Stars by College Sporting News for the week ending Nov. 8, 2009. He was previously named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week by the league office (Nov. 8).
Kutch set a school and Missouri Valley Football Conference record with six field goals made in the Redbirds' Family Day win over the Leathernecks. The Milton, Fla., native broke the school record (4) and conference record (5) with those six field goals, which included a career-long 48-yarder in the second quarter.
Three of Kutch's field goals were 40 yards or longer (48, 40, 45) and four out of the six were made in the third quarter. Kutch's only blemish on the day was a 42-yarder that was blocked in the second quarter, as he finished 6-for-7 overall in the contest. His effort helped Redbirds snap a two-game losing streak to the Leathernecks and earn their first home win against WIU since 1999.
On the season, Kutch is 16-for-22 (72.7%) in field goal attempts with seven coming from 40 yards or longer. He leads the Redbirds in scoring with 71 points (16 FG, 23 PAT), including a perfect 23-for-23 mark on extra point attempts. Kutch is also ranked No. 3 nationally in field goals per game (1.78) and is tied for 25th in scoring (7.89 ppg).
Kutch and the Redbirds return to action Saturday when they hit the road for the final time this season to face Youngstown State. Kickoff is set for noon CST at Stambaugh Stadium in Youngstown, Ohio.
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